{"id":25761,"date":"2026-06-06T02:48:11","date_gmt":"2026-06-06T02:48:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/25761\/"},"modified":"2026-06-06T02:48:11","modified_gmt":"2026-06-06T02:48:11","slug":"melbournes-possible-nickname-for-new-bbl-team-send-fans-into-meltdown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/25761\/","title":{"rendered":"Melbourne\u2019s possible nickname for new BBL team send fans into meltdown"},"content":{"rendered":"

Melbourne\u2019s new BBL<\/a> team name is likely to be called the Rangers, the Magic or the Blazers.<\/p>\n

The Rangers is the hot favourite (according to respected cricket writer Dan Cherny<\/a>), however, cricket fans are unimpressed and are slightly baffled as to why the Bushrangers, the former nickname of Victoria\u2019s state team, is on the nose.<\/p>\n

Cricket Victoria believes \u2018the Bushrangers\u2019 name is not gender appropriate<\/a>, even though Australia does have several high-profile female Bushrangers from the past, including Mrs Winter, Elizabeth Jessie Hickman (The Lady Bushranger) and Mary Cockerill (\u2018Black Mary\u2019).<\/p>\n

Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today Arrow<\/a><\/p>\n

The rebrand is coming because the Melbourne Stars and the Melbourne Renegades are merging<\/a> (as revealed by 7SPORT chief cricket reporter Tom Morris), with a plan to sell the Renegades\u2019 licence to a private buyer.<\/p>\n

However, Cricket Victoria will need approval from the \u00a0Australian Cricketers\u2019 Association and Cricket Australia before that happens, and a raging debate has already started between the states.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the possible names for the new Melbourne franchise has sparked a social media frenzy.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy are they complicating it? Bushrangers. It\u2019s the only name\/branding people want,\u201d one fan raged on X.<\/p>\n

And another: \u201cSo we have Heat and Scorchers already. Doesn\u2019t that make Blazers a really, really shithouse choice? Magic was a basketball team. That\u2019s crap as well. It has to be Bushrangers or shut the whole thing down.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cricket writer Leigh Eustace says it simply has to be Bushrangers.<\/p>\n

\u201cGross,\u201d he said to the proposed new names.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re a Stars or Renegades fan, what compels you about any of those? Might as well have kept the Stars brand if you\u2019re contemplating starting from scratch with something meaningless. The alternative (Bushrangers) was doable, I believe. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the name that anyone interested in this story has front of mind. It was the obvious connection. It\u2019s the obvious consideration.\u201d<\/p>\n

And another wondered: \u201cWhy are sports administrators so bad at this?!\u201d<\/p>\n

While other fans called the names \u201chorrendous\u201d, \u201chorrible\u201d, and \u201cboring\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe names suck,\u201d one fan bluntly put it.<\/p>\n

While another amusingly suggested: \u201cWhat about \u2018Stars\u2019?\u201d <\/p>\n

As far as the sale of the second licence goes, the players\u2019 union ACA says approval is a long way from being granted.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhilst a potential agreement between CA and the ACA is being discussed, it is not imminent and as such, any talk of privatising any teams for the coming season is premature,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n

\u201cCricket Victoria\u2019s (CV) announcement about a merger between the Stars and Renegades with the introduction of a new, privately owned club has created confusion, uncertainty and anxiety amongst players.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe ACA believes now is the critical juncture for all in Australian cricket to come together to find the best model for the future of all stakeholders in our game.\u201d<\/p>\n

Victoria\u2019s rival states are worried about the long-term financial viability of privatisation, and how they could be affected downstream.<\/p>\n

There is a fear from those states that, once the initial financial sugar hit of privatisation wears off, the states and CA will be in a financially worse position given they have rescinded control of their assets.<\/p>\n

The three states are also sceptical of CA\u2019s plans to manage the cash-strapped Renegades if they cannot be sold in time for the upcoming BBL season, given their own financial woes.<\/p>\n

CA ran at a loss of more than $11 million for the 2024\/25 financial year.<\/p>\n

– With AAP<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Real concern clouds Bushrangers return after Stars and Renegades axed <\/p>\n

4 min read<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Melbourne BBL teams obliterated in bombshell cricket shake-up<\/p>\n

3 min read<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

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