Cricket Australia Mulling Over Big Bash League Christmas Day Match

Big Bash League organizers are "keen to explore the possibility" of scheduling a Dec. 25 match in what would be "a new frontier for Australian sport," according to the AAP. Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland said that while next year's BBL fixtures "are unlikely to include a Christmas Day match, the idea still has merit." Sutherland said, "I'm not sure we'll be ready for it (next year). I think there is a growing sentiment that it is a possibility. We need to think about the right venue for it and we also need to consult widely." Christmas Day fixtures have "long captured huge audiences" in the U.S., with five NBA games and two NFL matches played this year. Retired Sydney Thunder captain and Australian int'l Mike Hussey, who is now the BBL franchise's director of cricket, this month said that "he was open to the idea but it could be a hard sell to players" (AAP, 12/27).