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Less than a month after the current Big Bash League format was killed off, the competition is enjoying a strong resurgence.
Cricket Australia seemingly bowed to broadcaster and player pressure when reducing the season length from 14 games to 10 from the end of 2024 onwards.
BBL|12 will take just under two months to complete all up. CA made the decision after numerous COVID-interrupted stagings of the tournament, with the declining quality of BBL|11 seeing the Seven Network take CA to court.
The two have ultimately patched up the relationship, at a cost of the BBL returning to its roots. But recent comments from Sydney Sixers coach Greg Shipperd suggests not everyone not all are on board with the downsize.
“Absolutely crazy. And with these recent results I would be bemused with the media stations that are controlling the narrative around reducing the competition,” Shipperd told News Corp of the decision to shorten the season.
“I think it's bad for our domestic players. You've got all the highly paid international superstars not even here and yet we're braining it with crowds and eyeballs.
“Perhaps it might be some of the commentators, some of the ex-players that are leading the way behind the scenes to reduce from 14 games to 10.
“I'm not sure their motive around that but from a coaching point of view, it won't be good for our domestic players to play less cricket. I think playing more cricket is going to improve them and continue to strengthen this competition.”
When announcing the deal, CA promised “increased player availability, greater proportion of primetime matches and stronger alignment with school holidays”.
But Shipperd has a point. While the league had seen declining headlines, crowds and TV viewership for years, BBL|12 has seen a resurgence of all three without a change in the fixture.
Steve Smith’s twin tons for the Sixers, runout attempts at the non-strikers' end, crazy catches galore and a season still poised on a knife’s edge. Every night there seems to be a new talking point for a competition CA has spent plenty trying to reboot, and seemingly done so.
Interestingly, the international player draft – seen by many as the idea to bring relevancy back to the competition – is behind none of these. Big Australian names – familiar names – playing their best cricket is a key aspect of what’s attracted fans back.
Smith’s second ton against the Sydney Thunder on Saturday night drew Fox Cricket’s highest ratings for the season as he went head-to-head with David Warner.
It came after Monday night’s game between the Brisbane Heat and Melbourne Stars smashed the first night of the Australian Open. A combined TV audience of 612,000 tuned in across Seven and Fox, beating out the 493,000 on Channel 9.
Seven also reported last week that the BBL TV audience is up 10 per cent.
Meanwhile, Sunday night’s game between the Perth Scorchers and Melbourne Renegades may be the clearest indication as to where the BBL sits amidst Australia’s summer.
While the Scorchers are a clear top side this season with 11 wins from 14, their popularity is immense.
32,259 packed into Optus Stadium for Sunday’s game. For context, about 40,000 fans attended across the entire Test match and just 10,929 on the first day.
Appetite for cricket is no doubt bigger post-Christmas, but for a BBL game to almost triple a day one crowd for a Test match is a revealing insight into the current attitude of cricket fans around the country.
There’s just one summer left under the expanded system before the new broadcast deal kicks in. While it’s highly unlikely anything can change given all the legalities in the freshly signed contract, if BBL|12 continues the momentum and it grows for BBL|13, Shipperd’s sentiment that the current system can work will grow plenty fold.
