A thrilling run into finals has capped a strong season of viewership and engagement for fans of the Weber WBBL, with several records broken across the course of the competition’s 11th home-and-away season.
Broadcast audiences saw a significant increase during Weber WBBL|11, with an interim average audience of 112,000 for each game, which is up 18% year-on-year across Seven, 7plus Sport, Kayo Sports and Foxtel. This is the highest average broadcast per match for a home-and-away season since all matches started being broadcast on TV in WBBL|07.
The average home-and-away audience per match has grown 70% since the WBBL|09 season. This was headlined by Sunday’s thriller between the Sydney Sixers and Adelaide Strikers, which was the highest-rating home-and-away match in its timeslot in WBBL history, and the November 21 game between Brisbane Heat and Sydney Thunder, which was the highest-rating home-and-away game since WBBL|05.
Total attendance across the home and away season of WBBL was 58,940 which was led by the attendance of 5,023 at North Sydney Oval on November 30 – a record home-and-away crowd for the venue.
Whilst rain impacted several matches throughout the season, six of the eight venues that hosted WBBL games saw an increase in average attendance.
This was headlined by the Perth Scorchers, who continue to receive strong support at home, with an average attendance of 3,094 across games at the WACA Ground – the highest average for a club in the stand alone WBBL era.
Digital engagement remains a cornerstone of the Big Bash experience, with fans continuing to connect through social platforms and the official Big Bash app.
League channels continue to deliver strong follower growth across social media with more than 60,000 new followers, while the Big Bash App has achieved record engagement with a 32% increase in app users, cementing its role as the go-to destination for live scores, highlights and interactive games.
Alistair Dobson, Cricket Australia Executive General Manager, Big Bash Leagues, said:
“We’re thrilled to see fans continue to connect with the Weber WBBL in such strong numbers, including an ever-growing broadcast audience, further cementing the league as the premium domestic tournament for female cricketers.
“The high-quality and close contests have driven fans to watch, attend and engage with our digital platforms.
“We’re looking forward to an exciting finals series which will feature two teams – Hobart Hurricanes and Melbourne Stars – chasing maiden championships, the Perth Scorchers who are chasing a second title, and the Sydney Sixers who are striving to be the first team to hold the trophy aloft for a third time.
Weber WBBL|11 Finals
This week’s three-game Weber WBBL|11 Finals series schedule is below.
- The Knockout: Perth Scorchers v Melbourne Stars, Tuesday, December 9, 7:45pm AEDT, WACA Ground
- The Challenger: Sydney Sixers v winner of The Knockout, Thursday, December 11, 7:15pm AEDT, North Sydney Oval
- The Final: Hobart Hurricanes v winner of The Challenger, Saturday, December 13, 7:15pm AEDT, Ninja Stadium
Tickets to the WBBL|11 Finals are on sale now at www.bigbash.com.au.
Every Finals match will be broadcast live on Seven, 7plus, Kayo Sports and Foxtel, with radio coverage on ABC Sport and SEN.
