The Big Bash League is about to get even bigger, with Cricket Australia announcing the expansion of the competition for the 2017-18 season.
BBL07 will feature eight more matches than the current season, with each team to play two more games in the regular season.
40 matches will be played prior to a three-game finals series, meaning that there will be more than 100 Big Bash League matches played next season across the men’s and women’s versions of the tournament.
The Big Bash has gone from strength to strength in recent times, with over one million fans having already gone through the turnstiles of Australia’s premier Twenty20 competition this season. Additionally, the average TV viewership of the tournament has reached over a million sets of eyes in BBL07.
The move to expand the tournament will see each side play an extra home fixture from next season, with the total of home matches rising from four to five.
Cricket Australia cited a push to lure new fans to the tournament in an attempt to broaden their fanbase on the back of the BBL’s recent success. Further, an intent to drive participation in the sport, fans could well see the league open up to new markets across the country and “allow even more first-time fans across Australia the ability to experience cricket outside of capital cities.”
Big Bash boss Anthony Everard also indicated the competition is looking at expanding the women’s tournament.
“The opportunity to expand matches into non-traditional markets is not just limited to the men’s game. We are working to see how we can also schedule Women’s Big Bash League matches in these new venues, once they are finalised,” he said.
Everard also refused to rule out the possibility of expansion in terms of the number of teams competing in the competition.
“At present, there are no plans to increase the number of teams in the League in the immediate future, but we remain open-minded about future expansion plans,” he concluded.
It is not yet known whether the extra games will see the tournament start earlier or if the finals series will be pushed back from its current Australia Day weekend slot, although those details are expected to be finalised in the coming months.
Republican
Guest
.....to be sure Wookie. There is no accounting for taste, while this sort of sporting product is perhaps akin to the poor eating choices we are making in developed countries i.e. fat Australia. Cerebral obesity is on the increase as well it would seem, while quantity hardly ever correlates with quality.
Bob
Guest
There are 5 ODIs and 50 big bash games. Which one do you think makes all the money?
ChrisB
Guest
And you base this on what exactly?
ChrisB
Guest
The next BBL deal will be substantially more. Please let it not be Channel Nine!
anon
Roar Pro
ODIs involve the Australian team which represents Australia. Hurricanes versus Adelaide only represents than cities of Hobart and Adelaide. The national team's ratings should be dwarfing random BBL games.
Working Class Rugger
Guest
Exactly. The whole competition runs onver 5 weeks. Add in a few weeks leading in and that's a total commitment of just 8 weeks. Max. There's still another 44 weeks left in the year.
KnightsFan
Roar Pro
That depends who you ask. My point is more the Big Bash is resonating with young people more then the test and odi. However TV ratings and crowd figuers suggets plenty of adults are interested aswell, evenif they arent the cricket tragics who prefer the test or ODI format
The Bush
Roar Guru
Actually the cash cow is the ODIs, not the BBL. The BBL TV rights at present are only $20m a year. I'm pretty sure Channel 9 is forking over more like $200m a year to show the tests and ODIs...
Chui
Guest
There were surveys being sent out asking for thoughts on attending or watching a BBL game on Christmas Eve/Day. I'd say it's just about a certainty
JGK
Roar Guru
Is ahe season going to be longer or are they just going to squeeze more games into the existing period? An Xmas Day double header perhaps?
Chris
Guest
What do they adults say though?
mds1970
Roar Guru
For a bowler (the most injury-prone players), the additional workload is capped at 8 overs. They could sit out one ODI or Matador Cup game and they've made up for that.
KnightsFan
Roar Pro
I do some work in primary schools and the impact the Big Bash is making is incredible. I hear more about Chris Green, Brad Hodge and Chris Lynn then do I Starc, Warner and Smith. These same kids would struggle to tell me if Australia won the tests and ODI but no exactly who won the Big Bash games. The big bash is growing and this 8 game expansion will probably only be the start
mds1970
Roar Guru
I've included regionals - which is fraught in a lot of cases. Regionals aren't available for a lot of programs, but the Mediaweek Twitter account has included them every night so there's a reasonable apples-to-apples comparison available.
spruce moose
Guest
Gosh, loving these alternate facts. "Does anyone take into consideration the already heavy work load on the players. Many are carrying injuries throughout the tournament and as soon as it’s finished,it’s time to get back to 4 day cricket. That doesn’t’ take into account players chosen to travel to 1 Day internationals or leave early for the Indian Series. Players simply can no longer be all things to the 3 forms and survive more than a couple of years." The following players have managed or had managed full time careers in all three forms for 5+ years: Virat Kohli, David Warner, MS Dhoni, Kane Williamson, Brendon McCullum, AB De Villiers, Paul Collingwood...just to name a few. The second response to what has to be the softest paragraph I've read on this website is a concept called "list management". No one expects someone to play EVERY match. Perhaps you should look at European football schedules before you bring out the violin. You sit a few out as required. Give me a break.
Peter
Roar Rookie
I was thinking a best of 3 between the final 2 teams. I'll get my coat.
no one in particular
Roar Guru
But the fans showed they wanted less.
no one in particular
Roar Guru
you might want to double check that There was only 1 - Strikers v Heat on 21 December. Only 2 more went past 900k
steve
Guest
My issue is with the schedule of CA, not the boringness of the ODI games. It kind of seems pointless to diminish the BBL teams like the Heat and the Stars to prop up an Australian team in ODI's that have low attendances and TV rating. CA's cash cow is the BBL, not ODI's. I'm assuming the Scorchers are going to be without Shaun Marsh for the BBL final to send him to NZ for three pointless ODI's.
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
"These elite sportsman are entitled to a life with their families post cricket." And just who is pointing a gun at their head forcing them to play all this cricket? If they want the big bucks, they have to expect a pound of flesh in return...