Cricket Australia chief highlights bilateral ODI revenue conundrum

CA CEO Todd Greenberg says there needs to be more meaning in bilateral ODIs but is concerned by the financial cost if they are removed from the schedule

Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg believes there needs to be more jeopardy and meaning in bilateral ODIs but is concerned by the revenue loss if they are removed from the Future Tours Programme (FTP) entirely.

ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta said earlier this week that the era of "randomly scheduled" bilateral series "has to come to an end," but the much-debated ODI format can continue to survive and thrive with its place "inextricably" linked to the World Cup.

Speaking in Darwin on Thursday during Australia's first Test with Bangladesh, Greenberg revealed Gupta had made similar comments at a CA staff meeting during a visit to Melbourne recently. Greenberg said he agrees with the idea of creating more jeopardy and meaning in bilateral ODIs but is concerned by the commercial ramifications for cricket boards around the world if they are removed altogether.RelatedThe era of 'randomly scheduled' bilaterals 'has to come to an end,' says ICC CEO

Australia call for larger squad sizes for expanded 2027 ODI World Cup

Scotland, Netherlands slam ICC response to Associate concerns over World Cup format change

"I think the principle of his comments are that the games that are played need to matter and have context and jeopardy," Greenberg said.

"We fundamentally believe that. But we're also realists to know that bilateral ODIs make up a significant portion of our broadcast agreements, so we've got to find a way if we're going to create more jeopardy and meaning, and we're going to move them, what are we replacing them with, and how do you replace the revenues that go with those?

"So there's a fine balance here. Some of that's short term, some of it long term. But the principle of what he's saying is right. Creating jeopardy and meaning into the games we play is important. But it's not an easy solve."

Greenberg is part of the ICC working group that is finalising the FTP for 2028-31 and they are also looking what a rough 2032-35 version would look like.

Meanwhile, Greenberg has backed Australia coach Andrew McDonald's call for larger squad sizes at the ODI World Cup later this year following the change in format and has raised the issue at ICC level.

"We've advocated strongly," Greenberg said. "Andrew's made it pretty clear to me that's a position he wants to carry. So we've passed that feedback on to the ICC. So we've got some conversations scheduled with them, and I think there's a number of countries have said similar, given the change to it, that those squad sizes are important. So that's an issue on their table."

CA did not advocate as strongly for more Associates to be included in the ODI World Cup following criticism of the change in format, suggesting that the ICC made the decision without much consultation. He added that CA agreed with the overall principle of having fewer teams in the ODI World Cup while expanding the T20 World Cup to include more Associates.

"I don't know a lot of the background other than that was presented at the ICC conference," Greenberg said. "I assume it's just about trying to extract commercial value for those World Cups. And I saw some recent comments that some of the Associates are unhappy. I get that. Hopefully, there's a pathway for more Associates to look at the T20 World Cup as opposed to the ODI World Cup, so I think that's what the ICC is planning will be.

"That's how it was presented to us. We would support that strategy."