The notion that women’s sport doesn’t rate on television may need to be reassessed by networks, after the Women’s Big Bash cricket managed to almost double the A-League averages for free-to-air on Friday nights.
Channel Ten, in partnership with Cricket Australia, agreed to broadcast select matches in the Women’s Big Bash League. The first two broadcasts (Brisbane vs Adelaide and Sydney vs Perth) had averages of 165,000 and 132,000 viewers respectively, according to Mediaweek.
These figures are even more impressive given the early afternoon timeslots. A Fairfax report suggests Channel Ten would have been reasonably happy with 40,000 viewers, so the sizeable audiences tuning in has surprised many.
A-League football has reportedly averaged 78,000 viewers on SBS 2 on Friday nights, with a further 62,000 tuning in on Fox Sports.
The Women’s Big Bash also out-rated the free-to-air figures for the men’s cricket One-Day Cup and NBL.
According to Ten’s head of sport, David Barham, part of the success is due to the game broadcast being treated exactly the same as the men’s.
“One of the reasons it’s working is we’re putting full resources into it. There is no difference between the quality and the amount of cameras we’re using in the women’s and men’s game,” he told Fairfax.
“It’s probably the only women’s sport in this country with 30 cameras on it. It’s the highest quality coverage we can do.”
Channel Ten has so far chosen to broadcast women’s cricket on its multichannel ONE HD, but given the impressive viewing stats it will be interesting to see if the network moves games to its primary channel. They may have no choice if the figures continue to remain strong for the other six scheduled broadcasts, including the January 24 final.
While the ratings are a massive boost for women’s cricket, and women’s sport in general, it’s also an indication of just how popular Twenty20 cricket is.
The men’s Big Bash has averaged around the one million viewers per game mark, with the first game – the Sydney derby – breaking the record for a non-final.
December 22nd 2015 @ 1:20pm
70s Mo said | December 22nd 2015 @ 1:20pm | ! Report
Interesting. I was looking for it on my TV guide and turns out I don’t have Channel One. Bugger.
December 22nd 2015 @ 11:41pm
cheso said | December 22nd 2015 @ 11:41pm | ! Report
Why the ratings? because men like perving on them. You honestly think most women “switched on” to watch it because it is women playing?
Truth be told U19 international level would smash them. 110-115 KM fast bowling? Yeah right. Their batting is first class and the spin bowling very good but could be around 80 KM an hour. Crap bowling, but their batting is “first class” standard no doubt.
December 23rd 2015 @ 8:50am
Christo the Daddyo said | December 23rd 2015 @ 8:50am | ! Report
Oh dear.
December 23rd 2015 @ 12:08pm
Freddy from Bondi said | December 23rd 2015 @ 12:08pm | ! Report
Time to move on from the 60’s Cheso.
December 22nd 2015 @ 1:39pm
Edward Webeck said | December 22nd 2015 @ 1:39pm | ! Report
This is great news for women’s cricket
December 22nd 2015 @ 3:54pm
Mister Football said | December 22nd 2015 @ 3:54pm | ! Report
It’s good news for women’s sport generally.
December 22nd 2015 @ 4:28pm
Paul said | December 22nd 2015 @ 4:28pm | ! Report
you wish, women’s soccer can only dream of getting these figures
December 23rd 2015 @ 7:16am
nordster said | December 23rd 2015 @ 7:16am | ! Report
well im not one to pump up women’s sport ….boring….but the women’s world cup and even the wleague games on the abc had solid figures.
and for more than one week too:)
December 22nd 2015 @ 1:56pm
Davo said | December 22nd 2015 @ 1:56pm | ! Report
Great to see the Women’s Cricket far out rating the soccer.
December 22nd 2015 @ 4:29pm
Paul said | December 22nd 2015 @ 4:29pm | ! Report
Yup, bring it on !!!!!
December 22nd 2015 @ 2:09pm
Paul said | December 22nd 2015 @ 2:09pm | ! Report
Smashing the A League where it hurts, I like it. Gallop is driving that competition into the ground and with Lowy gone the competition is destined for the scrap pile within 5 years (again lol). There’s nothin that can live with the W/BBL and we need expansion as soon as possible. Hopefully bums on seats and eyeballs turns into increased participation rates as well (I think soccer makes up their participation rates anyway) so we can keep growing and growing.
December 22nd 2015 @ 2:30pm
Davo said | December 22nd 2015 @ 2:30pm | ! Report
Big Bash is a game for the dumb masses with short attention spans. Absolutely no strategy other than smashing the ball over and over. BORING!
Big tacky fancy lights to lure the kids. No passion just event goers.
A fantastic sample size of 2 games. Wow great journalism.
How about actually discussing and breaking down the game itself, rather than focusing on yet again another tiresome ratings debate.
December 22nd 2015 @ 2:51pm
Benjamin Conkey said | December 22nd 2015 @ 2:51pm | ! Report
10 years ago I’d agree with you that there was no strategy in Twenty20 cricket, but a lot has changed. As for passion, just have a look at what it meant to Brett Lee (a bloke who had played in every major international fixture) when the Sixers lost to the Scorchers in the last over final.
Event goers? So what, you’re always going to have a mix of socialites and true fans at any sporting fixture. That’s why they have corporate areas.
Unfortunately ratings and crowd figures are what everyone looks at. It’s a commercial reality. The women’s TV ratings may only be a small sample size but it’s incredible start considering the projections of 40,000 viewers Even if the figures come back to earth in the next month, they’re still likely to be matching A-League Friday night ratings which is astonishing. You may hate Twenty20 cricket, but it’s not going anywhere.
December 22nd 2015 @ 3:47pm
mattq said | December 22nd 2015 @ 3:47pm | ! Report
yeah BBL is here for the long run. And it’s probably for the best. Test and to some extent 50 overs was just never going to cut it in this immediate suger rush world. It’s good for cricket and really it’s great for summer with both football and circket to watch. I’m not that really interested in watching BBL but I may come round. It definitely seems manufactured and aimed at the kids (noticed the boundary sponsor last night was Zoopa Doopas!) but hey it’s better than watching The Voice or some other reality rubbish. The A-League will be fine, it just needs to advertise and engage better and get off SBS.
December 22nd 2015 @ 3:00pm
offsider said | December 22nd 2015 @ 3:00pm | ! Report
Short attention span?the game goes 1 hour longer than a football match.
December 22nd 2015 @ 11:43pm
cheso said | December 22nd 2015 @ 11:43pm | ! Report
correct. Test Match is the true skillful cricket. However I am a tragic so watch T20 rubbish anyway.
December 22nd 2015 @ 3:00pm
jamesb said | December 22nd 2015 @ 3:00pm | ! Report
“The competition is destined for the scrap pile within 5 years (again lol).”
I’m sure you said that ten years ago.
December 22nd 2015 @ 3:54pm
Sydneysider said | December 22nd 2015 @ 3:54pm | ! Report
“gone the competition is destined for the scrap pile within 5 years (again lol)”
the A-League is headed for the scrap pile, just like the majority want.
In all seriousness, it will be interesting to see what the FFA get for their next tv deal.
The game will survive in some form (it always has) but it’s the pro domestic competition that needs some help in terms of marketing and promotion.
December 22nd 2015 @ 4:32pm
Paul said | December 22nd 2015 @ 4:32pm | ! Report
Super Rugby got very little increase in TV rights from Australian TV for two good reasons. There’s no viewers first off and secondly there’s no money left. The networks are placing a few big bets AFL wins, NRL wins, Cricket wins, and soccer loses. That’s fine by me.
December 22nd 2015 @ 5:55pm
Mark said | December 22nd 2015 @ 5:55pm | ! Report
Australia needs a viable professional football league for the long-term good of the Socceroos and the game generally in this country. If the A-League can’t be made to work, it’s difficult to see how professional football in this country can work at all.
More than anything, the TV figures demonstrate the lack of penetration of Foxtel and SBS. Problem is, Foxtel pay big bucks for exclusive deals and channels 7, 9 and 10 are already committed to other sports during the A-League season.
The popularity of cricket is more proof that Australians like sports where we are big fish in small ponds (or, in the case of the AFL, the only fish).
December 22nd 2015 @ 6:21pm
joe b said | December 22nd 2015 @ 6:21pm | ! Report
Mark, the popularity of cricket or other football codes over soccer is evidence only of the level of interest in those sports. Soccer has been around just as long as the other sports in this country, so stop whining about Australians who don’t enjoy soccer as much as you might. Furthermore, it might shock you to know that Australia isn’t the only country where soccer isn’t the most popular sport.
December 22nd 2015 @ 8:26pm
Bob said | December 22nd 2015 @ 8:26pm | ! Report
More girls aged 6-13 are playing soccer than Netball now, there’s a huge take-up of soccer in both boys and girls and it will feed through to attendances and viewerships over the next ten years. It’s not either or for most kids, mine for example are happy watching both sports.
December 23rd 2015 @ 9:34am
Barry said | December 23rd 2015 @ 9:34am | ! Report
I await the totem tennis league 90% participation over the Christmas period in this sport. A professional league must be around the corner.
20 years ago people were saying the same thing about basketball as they’re saying about soccer now.
Ireland has had soccer for as long as it has existed, but it’s still distant 3rd in popularity behind Hurling and Gaelic football, despite these not played internationally.
Football’s dominance of Australia in the future is not a given like many seem to think.
December 22nd 2015 @ 6:02pm
joe b said | December 22nd 2015 @ 6:02pm | ! Report
Perhaps there is little genuine interest/support in a professional domestic league. EPL seems to get as much media coverage in Australia as the A-League, and this probably impacts on their ability to secure a larger passionate supporter base.
The BBL is going gangbusters, and it has only been running for 5 years… what hope does the A-League have?
December 22nd 2015 @ 6:13pm
Mark said | December 22nd 2015 @ 6:13pm | ! Report
Does anyone remember who has won the BBL over those 5 years, or who has won the Melbourne/Sydney derby matches? It seems to me that even among people who follow the BBL, the games don’t have any great significance. People watch it, but they don’t really care about it.
The prevalence of ‘eurosnob’ football ‘fans’ is very problematic for the A-League and there are no easy solutions.
December 22nd 2015 @ 6:42pm
Edward Webeck said | December 22nd 2015 @ 6:42pm | ! Report
Well Sydney Sixer won the first BBL, Perth won the recent one in a thrilling final against the Sixers in Brett Lee’s last game. and The Thunder have recently got their first win against the Sixers after six or so matches.
December 22nd 2015 @ 7:20pm
Working Class Rugger said | December 22nd 2015 @ 7:20pm | ! Report
The Sixers won BBL01, the Brisbane Heat won BBL02,l and the Perth Scorchers have won the past two (03 & 04).
The Melbourne derby is fairly evenly split with the Stars having the upper hand and the Thunder as already mentioned won their first ‘Sydney Smash’ this season.
Who won the A-League 5 years ago? Hell, you may find more people would know who won the BBL last year than the A-League season (it was the Victory, right?).
December 22nd 2015 @ 7:35pm
Edward Webeck said | December 22nd 2015 @ 7:35pm | ! Report
Not to mention the stars have been beaten semi-finalists in all 4 bbl seasons, isn’t that interesting mark?
December 22nd 2015 @ 8:44pm
jamesb said | December 22nd 2015 @ 8:44pm | ! Report
Working class rugger, I’m here to help you.
Champions
05/06- Sydney FC
06/07- Melbourne Victory
07/08- Newcastle Jets
08/09- Melbourne Victory
09/10- Sydney FC
10/11- Brisbane Roar
11-12- Brisbane Roar
12-13- Central Coast Mariners
13-14- Brisbane Roar
14-15- Melbourne Victory
December 23rd 2015 @ 1:59am
Beny Iniesta said | December 23rd 2015 @ 1:59am | ! Report
Well done to the Mariners & Jets on their Championships – when do you think you’ll next see these teams playing off in a Grand Final?
December 22nd 2015 @ 11:45pm
cheso said | December 22nd 2015 @ 11:45pm | ! Report
Yeah James, copied and pasted from wiki no doubt.
December 23rd 2015 @ 1:57am
Beny Iniesta said | December 23rd 2015 @ 1:57am | ! Report
Perth Scorchers have played in every final so far – an amazing record.
Melbourne Stars have underperformed every single year – losing at the semi-final stage regularly.
The Renegades have surprised in the upside but not achieved much while in Sydney the Thunder have been atrocious year by year but may have finally started turning things around this year while the Sixers have performed well – but they wear a horrendous pink colour!
Sacrebleu!
December 22nd 2015 @ 2:17pm
Rodney Olsen said | December 22nd 2015 @ 2:17pm | ! Report
I watched a bit of the game on the weekend myself, seen a beauty of a catch in close where the lady absolutely smashed the ball, I have no idea how the fielder managed to get a hold of it but bam, she ate it like it was a chocolate bar.
December 23rd 2015 @ 6:34pm
Rodney Olsen said | December 23rd 2015 @ 6:34pm | ! Report
Found some ratings for the Australian Womens Rugby League match that was replayed on a Sunday earlier in the year.
Over 100,000 alone in NSW, WOW.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/monday-buzz-highlights-lowlights-and-talking-points-from-bumper-weekend-of-sport/story-fnp0lyn3-1227367361424
JILLAROOS RISE
The Australian women’s RL team, the Jillaroos may soon be able to chase their own TV rights deal. The replay of their match against the NZ Kiwi Ferns attracted an audience on Channel 9 of 100,000 in NSW alone.
That’s double the average Sydney audience for free-to-air AFL matches. And they are figures our Super Rugby teams would die for.
December 23rd 2015 @ 6:37pm
Rodney Olsen said | December 23rd 2015 @ 6:37pm | ! Report
This from last year, the ladies game wasn’t shown on TV and was given no promotion whatsoever yet still got the punters watching, I didn’t know the game was streamed live at the time.
http://www.nrl.com/womens-game-attracts-online-audience/tabid/10874/newsid/83007/default.aspx?cid=NRL_HP_Latest
The Kiwi Ferns’ thrilling last-minute win over the Australian Jillaroos was watched live on NRL.com by more than 16,000 fans.
December 22nd 2015 @ 4:44pm
Working Class Rugger said | December 22nd 2015 @ 4:44pm | ! Report
Those ratings are great for women’s sport. Really reinforces that Cricket still is king when a new competition like the WBBL can draw in those figures. Hopefully the ratings hold throughout the competition and beyond and add value to the overall package. That way is the future we can see more invested back into the WBBL.
I have to chuckle with the ‘artificial’ comments in regards to the competition. Yes, it’s still relatively new and the names haven’t quite bedded down yet but that hasn’t stopped fa based from developing. Go to a game and you’ll see distinct groups. The Thunder have a different group of fans than the Sixers. Just watch a Scorchers home game. There’s plenty of passion there.
As for it being aimed at kids. Well, no shit. From a commercial sense kids have tremendous bargaining power. From a competition side, you want to draw them in young to build a strong spine as the competition early to build from as the competitions continues to grow.
But ultimately the fans will decide its and the WBBLs fate. Considering the figures above and the record crowds and ratings for the BBL I’d say it’s here for good.