Major update coming regarding BPL draft and venue evaluation

The upcoming Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Draft has been postponed officially, and the organizers have stated that the draft will not take place until after October. The delay is a result of all prior franchise agreements expiring when the last BPL season concluded. With a fresh start on the horizon, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is taking steps to reform the league's structure and ownership model.

Newly appointed BPL Governing Council Chairman Mahbub Anam confirmed the changes during a media interaction, citing that the board is planning to invite fresh Expressions of Interest (EOI) for team ownership. These new franchise contracts will be awarded for a five-year term. In the meantime, the BCB is also studying how global franchise leagues operate in order to implement improvements that enhance the BPL’s efficiency and competitiveness.

“We are hoping that in August we will be starting the process of taking in new franchises. In September we have a schedule to appoint these new franchises... I believe the draft will not take place before October. If we can complete our schedules, then in October we can go for a draft,” Mahbub Anam said, as quoted by The Daily Star. The BPL Draft date, therefore, remains tentative and will only be confirmed after the necessary franchise allocations are completed.

BCB to Bring in Sports Management Firm for Restructuring

In a bid to professionalize the BPL further, Mahbub also revealed plans to hire a dedicated sports management company. “We are also studying how the different franchise tournaments are being run... We will go to a tender process for an event management or sports management company. They will give us direction and structure our financial model so that it's sustainable,” he added.

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Simultaneously, the BCB will audit venues such as Bogura and Khulna to determine their readiness for BPL matches. Their inclusion in the upcoming season will depend on meeting the required standards, which will be evaluated in coordination with the National Sports Council (NSC).