A competition which is already struggling arrives at its 10th edition desperate for attention. The Cricketer looks at some of the major talking points...
Described as a "major milestone" by head of the BBL Alistair Robson, the competition has hit the panic button and increased the number of overseas players permitted for all eight teams.
From two in previous editions, three foreign players can be fielded in a single XI with squads increased to 19, up from 16.
Announced in October, the cruel irony is this season has been the most difficult edition in which to bring overseas players to Australia.
Covid-19 protocols mean any arrival into the country must quarantine in a hotel for 14 days before being permitted to play. And after spending much of the second half of the year in bio-secure bubbles, that is a step too far for some players.
It means in addition to the Australia players involved in the India Tests - which begin a week after the opening round - some internationals will not be available until much later in the competition - if at all.
Frustratingly, Afghanistan's matches with Ireland in January could see four players lost to the tournament during the back end. Indeed, it is hard to see many players of international class staying for the duration.
The decision over how many overseas players to permit in your domestic competition is always a tough one. There is a balance to strike between ensuring your competition has enough star quality to sell to broadcasters and making sure it can be a honing ground for your national team. In turn, making sure those players are tested sufficiently is also important. There are plenty of things to consider.
The CPL in the West Indies, the reigning World Cup holders, permits four in each side, as do the IPL, PSL and LPL. The Mzansi Super League in South Africa and England's T20 Blast allow two. There is certainly no tried and tested formula but changes to the policy will have a knock-on effect.
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As the BBL strives to remain relevant in the cricket calendar, some of its biggest names from last year will be absent. Overseas stars such as AB de Villiers and Dale Steyn are missing, while several Australian players are also not involved.
De Villiers is missing for Brisbane Heat with his wife Danielle due to give birth to their third child. Steyn is not returning to Melbourne Stars despite their desire to bring him back for the 2020-21 campaign.
With the BBL running alongside the international schedule a window for Australia's players to feature doesn't really exist. Multiple bio-secure bubbles also makes moving from one dressing room to another problematic.
It means that Steve Smith, who made his first Sydney Sixers outings since 2014 last term, is missing having said there was "no chance" of him returning. Teammate Josh Hazlewood is also skipping the competition, while there is also no sign of Pat Cummins.
The plight and dilemma facing Australia's players is summed up by David Warner, who has only ever played three BBL matches in the previous nine editions and has shut the door firmly on the competition until he retires. He feels it is impossible to play across all formats and in the BBL, even if a window is created in the schedule.
"You are playing overseas then coming into the [home] summer, then you have got to play Big Bash, then you play more Tests or an ODI series, then go away," he said. "For us, it's finding that time to actually have time off.
"For myself, I have three kids at home and a wife that I owe my time to as well. So playing all three forms, that's very difficult to do that. I don't think I will play while I am playing for Australia still. That's honestly speaking."
Granted, there is Mitchell Starc, Nicholas Pooran and Rashid Khan - though even his participation could be cut-short by Afghanistan duty - but if big names are key to your interest in domestic competition then this might not be your year.
Danny Briggs is among the new faces for 2020-21
No overseas nation is better represented in this year's BBL than England, who have 12 players across the eight squads. With less than a year to go until the T20 World Cup in India, this might be one of the last opportunities to impress before Eoin Morgan whittles down his squad. Indeed, this might be more of a case of laying down the foundations for the following year when the tournament goes to Australia as was intended in 2020.
Of the dozen, just five have experienced the BBL before. Three have not played at this level before and four haven't ever entered an overseas T20 league. This will be a genuine learning experience.
There will be something extremely satisfying about seeing Danny Briggs, Joe Clarke, Will Jacks and Dan Lawrence take their place in this year's BBL. For the latter three it is the latest step on the ladder which should end with international honours. For Briggs, 29, a reward for 12 seasons for graft and an opportunity to stake c claim. As the Blast's all-time wicket-taker he should not be taken lightly.
Though it might only be for the opening two matches, county enthusiasts will have the widest of grins when Benny Howell turns out for Melbourne Renegades. Ten years on from his senior debut, this is the reward for Howell's perseverance. And as hs recent T20 form suggests, he is not just there to make up the numbers.
Lewis Gregory and Dawid Malan both have experience in the PSL and BPL. While Malan is an established operator at international level, Gregory's performances will be interesting to observe. He is certainly part of the World Cup conversation.
Of the five who have got the BBL t-shirt, three are probably assured a place in the next World Cup. Jason Roy badly needs a run of form but requires further setbacks to lose his place completely, while Sam Billings can be confident of being involved in Morgan's plans.
With the same degree of faith, Alex Hales knows a record-breaking run of form won't be enough to earn a recall. His 576 runs for Sydney Thunder in 2019-20 was only better by top-scorer Marcus Stoinis (576). He is ranked above Ben Stokes, Morgan, Jonny Bairstow, Malan and Roy in the Men's T20 Player Index, yet he will remain frozen out of the set-up for the foreseeable future.
With the role of the second spinner perhaps the biggest hole in Morgan's plans for next year still vacant, the three years since Liam Livingstone's last international outing is increasingly curious. And for Phil Salt there is a feeling he has a lot to do to bridge the gap, given the batting riches currently at England's disposal.
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On paper at least, this year's competition looks at open as it has in many years.
The absence of some international stars and Australia's finest might dilute the quality of the squads and put-off the casual viewer, but it levels the playing field.
In short, there is no outstanding candidate for the title. Melbourne Stars start as the bookmakers' favourites with Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis and Adam Zampa in their ranks. Pooran might be the best recruit of the off-season, but we await to see how much their homegrown stars feature.
Contenders could come from anywhere. Even last season's Melbourne Renegades can expect to challenge having recruited Imran Tahir and Rilee Rossouw. Like Stars, Hobart Hurricanes have never reached the final, but a powerful batting line-up led by Dawid Malan and Colin Ingram gives them every chance of ending that streak.
Sydney Sixers will be without messieurs Smith and Hazlewood and may see little of Starc, even if his presence does elevate their roster. City rivals Thunder Might be largely unaffected by the international schedule, but that tells its own story.
Brisbane Heat have only qualified for the knock-out phase once in the last seven editions, but this is as good an opportunity to improve on that record. The biggest issue facing captain Chris Lynn surrounds his overseas players, who will be swapping in and out at various intervals.
Perth Scorchers have gone from reaching the semi-final/play-off phase seven years in a row to reeling off successive campaigns during which they failed to challenge. Their hopes rest on a batch of Aussie stalwarts and whether Roy can recapture any form.
If coaching and strategy is indeed to become an even more important facet of the tournament, then Adelaide Strikers led by Jason Gillespie are as likely to play a primary role as any. Their bowling attack of Peter Siddle, Wes Agar and Rashid were lethal at times last season.
So, while star quality and a tournament to rival the IPL or PSL might be lacking, there will at the very least be an intriguing title race.
Who will land the trophy in its 10th year?
With viewing figures down again in 2019-20 and the competition struggling for relevance in the busy calendar, the BBL have introduced three new rules for the 10th edition of the competition. What some might see as an attempt to be innovative, some could interpret as a desperate move to bring fresh eyes to the game.
Power Surge, X-Factor and Bash Boost sound more like cheat codes for a Sega Mega Drive game and can be activated by the eight teams to bring new life across the 61-match competition. Or at least that is the intention.
First up there is Power Surge. The initial powerplay period is reduced to four overs, with the batting team able to deploy two more from the 11th over onwards. It could create an interesting tactical change, with gun batsmen or 'death' bowlers used at different times in the innings.
The X-Factor is the latest incarnation of the substitute rule. It permits teams to make a change to their line-up mid-way through the first innings. Players who have not batted, or bowled more than six deliveries can be swapped out with any unused member of the squad.
Finally, Bash Boost is a bonus point system. It rewards the side who is ahead on the head-to-head after 10 overs of the second innings. Winners are now awarded three points.
We can only wait and see how these rules change the dynamics of the matches. Trent Woodhill, who helped devised rules for The Hundred, is behind the changes but will the alterations make a tangible impact on a fading product?
Powerplay overs are often deployed at the same time, tactical substitutes have already been trailed once and scrapped and the bonus point system will likely only benefit the winning team. It is at least an attempt by the organisers to breathe new life into the tournament, but there is no guarantee it will capture the imagination.
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