Even more Big Bash on TEN

TEN has released details of its Big Bash League and the Women’s Big Bash League, for summer with 55 matches to screen –  up on last season’s 47 games.

There will be 40 Big Bash League matches played in 48 days, including six double-headers, in prime time, Live on TEN or ONE. The season will kick off with the Sydney derby on Tuesday 19 December at Spotless Stadium.

The expanded competition will see an additional eight matches played, with each club allocated one additional home match. The league will also venture to a new venue in Launceston, with other venues currently being considered. Semi-finals will be played on Thursday, 1 February and Friday, 2 February, with the highest-finishing club to host the Big Final on Sunday, 4 February 2018.

The Women’s Big Bash League carnival launches at North Sydney Oval on Saturday, 9 December with four matches live across the weekend. TEN will broadcast 12 Women’s Big Bash League matches, including the final, Live on TEN or ONE.

TEN Chief Executive Officer, Paul Anderson, said: “We are excited about and looking forward to another great summer of BBL and WBBL cricket on Network TEN.

“We are proud to be working with Cricket Australia on the future development of this competition, by broadcasting matches in new venues this summer.

“Together, Ten and Cricket Australia have built the Big Bash into the most anticipated sporting competition of the summer. This year looks particularly exciting, with eight extra matches taking us through until the first week of February.

“We can’t wait for the summer of cricket on TEN,” he said.

Cricket Australia Executive General Manager of Leagues and Events, Anthony Everard said: “Network TEN’s ongoing commitment to both the WBBL and BBL means fans around the country can enjoy more of the Big Bash action.

“Starting with the standalone opening weekend, Network TEN will be broadcasting 12 matches of the WBBL, reinforcing their commitment to growing women’s cricket in Australia.

“Every BBL match will again be broadcast on Network TEN after averaging more than a million viewers every match last season, complementing the record-breaking attendance, which averaged more than 30,000 per regular season match.

Network Ten’s coverage of the 2016-17 season of the KFC Big Bash League ended on a high, with 1.3 million Australians tuning in to watch the Perth Scorchers triumph over the Sydney Sixers in the Big Final on January 28.

The television audience for the exciting conclusion to the summer television sensation peaked at 1.76 million. In the capital cities alone, the Scorchers’ victory was watched by 910,000 people on Network Ten and peaked at 1.22 million.

Last season’s Big Final was preceded by the Final of the Rebel Women’s Big Bash League, which saw the Sydney Sixers claim victory over the Perth Scorchers.

The Final of the Rebel Women’s Big Bash League attracted 402,000 viewers nationally, peaking at 710,000. In the capital cities, its television audience was 267,000, with a peak of 447,000.

Session 2 of the Rebel Women’s Big Bash League Final had 500,000 viewers, a record television audience for any WBBL match.

The audience numbers for both competition’s Finals capped a highly successful season and saw Network Ten record its highest ever commercial shares in people aged 25 to 54 and under 55 in the first four weeks of a calendar year.

Across the 2016-17 summer, the KFC Big Bash League drew an average national television audience of 1.03 million. It reached a total of 14.4 million nationally.

In the capital cities alone, the competition averaged 710,000 viewers per game, with an average peak of 1.53 million.

The 2016-17 season dominated its timeslot, ranking #1 in total people, 25 to 54s and under 55s.

Updated.