Chris McMillan

Guest writer

Chris McMillan is a professional teaching fellow in sociology at the University of Auckland Waipapa Taumata Rau.

Fireworks during a Big Bash League match between the Brisbane Heat and the Hobart Hurricanes at Metricon Stadium on the Gold Coast in 2018 (Photo: Albert Perez – CA/Cricket Australia via Getty Images)

Can NZ’s new T20 cricket franchise attract the dollars, players and fans it will need?

New Zealand Cricket opting for a franchise league funded by private equity raises questions about the future of the local game – and the ability of national sporting bodies to keep acting in the public interest.

By Chris McMillan | 30th March, 2026