25 January 2016

Big Bash’s Record Summer. 2015-16 Big Final: 1.66 Million Viewers Nationally. Television Audiences Soar Across 2015-16 Season. Network Ten Scores Biggest Summer Audience Since 2004-05.

A record-breaking season of the KFC Big Bash League on Network Ten ended strongly last night, with 1.66 million Australians tuning in to watch the Thunder claim victory in the Big Final.

The number of viewers for the Big Final in the capital cities and regional NSW, and was up 17% on last season’s Big Final. Last night’s game peaked at 2.24 million, up 19% from 1.89 million last year.

In the capital cities alone, the Sydney Thunder’s victory was watched by 1.21 million people on TEN and ONE – up 21% from 1 million last year – and peaked at 1.63 million.

Last night’s Session 2 drew 1.3 million capital city viewers and was the #1 program of the night in total people and people 25 to 54. Session 1 had 1.13 million capital city viewers and was the #2 program last night.

In regional NSW, Victoria and Queensland, the Big Final pulled an average audience of 454,000 and peaked at 608,000.

The KFC Big Bash League dominated social media last night, with a 63% share of the Twitter TV audience and a 47% share of Twitter TV impressions (2.93 million impressions). #BBLFinal trended at #1 on Twitter nationally last night and #3 worldwide.

The Sydney Thunder also claimed victory in yesterday’s rebel Women’s Big Bash League Final, which drew 322,000 capital city and regional viewers and peaked at 638,000.

In the capital cities alone, the rebel Women’s Big Bash League Final had 204,000 viewers, peaking at 403,000.

Last night’s result wrapped up a strong 2015-16 season for the KFC Big Bash League on Network Ten, with record audience numbers, the biggest summer audience for TEN since 2010-11 and the biggest summer audience for Network Ten since 2004-05.

This summer, the KFC Big Bash League attracted an average capital city and regional NSW, Victoria and Queensland television audience of 1.04 million viewers, up 16% from 898,000 in 2014-15. It reached a total of 10.14 million capital city viewers and 3.74 million regional viewers.

In the capital cities alone, it averaged 757,000 viewers per game, up 25% from 607,000 last year.

The 2015-16 season of the KFC Big Bash League dominated its timeslot, ranking #1 in total people and among 25 to 54s. On social media, it generated a total of 180,600 tweets and 23.5 million Twitter TV impressions.

The average capital city and regional television audience from Session 2 jumped 17% to 1.15 million, with an average peak of 1.43 million. In the capital cities, Session 2 generated an average audience of 845,000, up 26% on last season.

The capital city and regional average for Session 1 increased 15% to 957,000 (peak of 1.37 million) and the Post Game program average was up 18% to 590,000 (peak of 1.1 million).

Session 1’s average capital city audience was 691,000 viewers (up 25%) and Post Game’s average audience was 452,000 viewers (up 25%).

Network Ten’s inaugural coverage of the rebel Women’s Big Bash League also produced strong audience numbers, with an average capital city and regional NSW, Victoria and Queensland television audience of 213,000 viewers – including 142,000 capital city viewers – and a peak of 388,000. It reached a total of 3.1 million capital city viewers and 1.29 million regional viewers.

The rebel Women’s Big Bash League also dominated its timeslot, ranking #1 in total people and among 25 to 54s.

Network Ten’s Chief Executive Officer, Paul Anderson, said: “After three seasons on Network Ten, the KFC Big Bash League has become must-see television for many Australians during the summer months.

“We are extremely pleased with the strong growth in BBL’s television audience this year and the great feedback we’ve received from viewers around the country.

“Thank you to our viewers, commentators, hosts, partners, sponsors, all the BBL clubs and players, and the TEN Sport team led by David Barham. And a special thanks to for creating and building such a popular and successful competition,” he said.

Cricket Australia Chief Executive Officer, James Sutherland, said: “We are absolutely delighted that the BBL has grown to become an established feature of the Australian summer.

“We have developed the league to attract kids, families and females to the game. That is proving to be a success thanks to the outstanding quality of cricket, the hard work of the

BBL clubs to promote the competition and Network Ten’s first-class broadcast production.

“The players also deserve great recognition, not just for their fine performances, but for the way they interact with fans, particularly young kids,” he said.

“While it has been a record-breaking year for the BBL, we were just as pleased by the formation of the Women’s Big Bash League which has given the game an extra dimension, attracting ratings which are already the envy of many established men’s sports. This could not have been done without Network Ten’s fantastic support, which is helping create a really visible cricket pathway for girls and women.”

Network Ten’s Network Executive, BBL, David Barham, said: “We are very proud of the BBL. It is a great credit to a terrific production crew and our very talented on-air commentators. Everyone involved takes great pride in the production.

“We would especially like to thank all the players for their continued co-operation and important contribution to our telecasts. Their support, good humour and willingness to break new ground in a live television environment stands out among all sports in this country.

“We are also very proud to have played our role in the launch of the WBBL. Congratulations to Cricket Australia for their leadership and well done to all the teams involved,” he said. “We look forward to next year and the continual improvement of the competition and our coverage.”

KFC Big Bash League 2015-16:

2015 -16 AUDIENC E 2014 -15 AUDIENCE INCREASE

Total* Metro Total Metro Total* Metro

SESSION 1 957,000 691,000 834,000 555,000 15% 25%

SESSION 2 1,146,000 845,000 982,000 673,000 17% 26%

POST -GAME 590,000 452,000 498,000 361,000 18% 25%

OVERALL 1,039,000 757,000 898,000 607,000 16% 25%

* Five mainland capital cities and regional Queensland, NSW and Victoria

Capital city and regional*

 Game average: 1.04 million viewers, peaked at 1.5 million.  Session 1: 957,000 viewers, peaked at 1.37 million.

 Session 2: 1.15 million viewers, peaked at 1.43 million.  Post-Game: 590,000 viewers, peaked at 1.1 million.

Capital city

 Game average: 757,000 viewers, peaked at 1.05 million. #1 in its timeslot in 25 to 54s, under 55s, total people, men and men 25 to 54.  Session 1: 691,000 viewers, peaked at 958,000. #1 in its timeslot in 25 to 54s, under 55s, total people, men and men 25 to 54.  Session 2: 845,000 viewers, peaked at 1.01 million. #1 in its timeslot in 25 to 54s, under 55s, total people, men and men 25 to 54.  Post-Game: 452,000 viewers, peaked at 816,000. #1 in its timeslot in 25 to 54s, under 55s, total people, men and men 25 to 54.

Regional*

 Game average: 282,000 viewers, peaked at 455,000.  Session 1: 266,000 viewers, peaked at 414,000.  Session 2: 301,000 viewers, peaked at 417,000.  Post-Game: 138,000 viewers, peaked at 279,000.

Social Media

 180,600 tweets sent across the season.  23.5 million Twitter TV impressions across the season.  #BBL05 and related hashtags regularly trended at #1 on Twitter during the season. rebel Women’s Big Bash League 2015-16:

Capital city and regional*

 Game average: 213,000 viewers, peaked at 388,000.

Capital city

 Game average: 142,000 viewers, peaked at 258,000.  #1 in its timeslot in 25 to 54s, under 55s, total people, men and men 25 to 54.

* Regional NSW, Victoria and Queensland only.

For more information, please contact:

Neil Shoebridge Director of Corporate and Public Communications P: (02) 9650 1575. M: 0417 511 012. E: [email protected]

Laura McLachlan Senior Publicist & National Sport Publicist P: (03) 9275 1343 M: 0401 644 061 E: [email protected]

SOURCE: OzTAM, 5 City Metro, Regional TAM, Combined east coast mainland markets. 2014-15 comparison game average includes Finals, excludes Rain Delay and Post-Game. Nielsen Twitter TV Ratings. Summer based on Weeks 49 to 4, Consolidated excluding Week 4 which is Overnight. Women’s Big Bash timeslot placement based on ONE games.