• TV Audience Up 10% Across First Three Days

After just three days, Network Ten is able to report big audience increases for the start of the Big Bash League new season. The results are bittersweet for TEN as it heads into negotiations for the rights to future seasons of the primetime cricket format.

TEN released this statement revealing the scope of the audience increases:

Network Ten’s coverage of the 2016-17 KFC Big Bash League has scored big with viewers, with the television audience across the first three days up 10% compared with last summer’s season average.

The three matches have achieved an average national television audience of 1.19 million, up 4% from 1.14 million for the first three matches last year and up 10% on the 2015-16 season average.

In the capital cities alone, the KFC Big Bash League has averaged 821,000 viewers per game, up 11% from 738,000 for the 2015-16 season.

The average national television audience from Session 2 has increased 7% to 1.28 million, with an average peak of 1.55 million.

The average for Session 1 is up 13% to 1.11 million (peak of 1.56 million).

In the capital cities, Session 2 has generated an average audience of 890,000, up 8% compared with the 2015-16 season average. Session 1’s average audience is 768,000 viewers (up 14%).

The KFC Big Bash League is dominating television viewing, with the first three matches ranking #1 in their timeslots in total people and among people aged 25 to 54 and under 55.

Network Ten’s network executive BBL, David Barham, said: “The KFC Big Bash League is now clearly establishing itself as the number one choice for sports fans in summer.

“Crowds at matches and audiences on television continue to build, as they have done since the BBL moved to free-to-air television four years ago.

“We have a great partnership with Cricket Australia, which is reflected in the growth of the competition, and our commentators and hosts – Roz Kelly, Adam Gilchrist, Ricky Ponting, Mark Waugh, Damien Fleming, Mel Jones, Lisa Sthalekar, Mark Howard and Andy Maher – are doing a fantastic job this season,” he said.

“We are delighted with the way the season has started and we think it will only continue to build as the competition continues.”

2016-17 KFC Big Bash League On Network Ten:

The First Three Days:

• Average game audience, national: 1.19 million viewers. Up 10% on the 2015-16 season average.

• Average game audience, capital cities only: 821,000 viewers. Up 11% on the 2015-16 season average.

• Average Session 2 audience, national: 1.28 million viewers. Up 7% on the 2015-16 season average.

• Average Session 2 capital cities only: 890,000 viewers. Up 8% on the 2015-16 season average.

• Average Session 1 audience, national: 1.11 million viewers. Up 13% on the 2015-16 season average.

• Average Session 1 capital cities only: 768,000 viewers. Up 14% on the 2015-16 season average.

• Average Post Game audience, national: 546,000 viewers.

• Average Post Game capital cities only: 395,000 viewers.