FOX Sports smashes cricket ratings on Pay TV
476,000 viewers watched the Big Bash League on the weekend, making it the fourth-most watched program in Pay TV history.
- Published by David Knox
- on
- Filed under Subscription
FOX Sports broadcast of the T20 Big Bash League sure pulled in some big numbers on the weekend.
An average audience of 476,000 viewers watched the MCG clash, making it the fourth-most watched program in subscription television history.
It was FOX Sports’ highest-rating cricket broadcast of all-time.
Another 325,000 tuned in to see the Sydney Sixers / Brisbane Heat match at the SCG on Friday night.
On Sunday 347,000 watched Adelaide Strikers play Melbourne Renegades in Adelaide, while 274,000 watched the later broadcast of Hobart Hurricanes’ upset victory over Perth Scorchers at the WACA.
FOX Sports CEO, Patrick Delany, said: “It’s been a fantastic start to a competition which we believe is the next giant of summer sports entertainment. An average of over 350,000 viewers per match from the opening four matches supports that view and we are looking forward to sharing every exciting moment of the rest of the series with fans Live on FOX Sports.”
Saturday’s match included Shane Warne’s return and David Warner’s stunning century win.
“Stars and characters will continue to emerge and the unpredictable and explosive nature of the game makes for great television. You can’t take your eyes of it for a second, and it’s spectacular in high definition.”
FOX Sports continues its coverage of the T20 Big Bash League, including a week of finals action from January 21-28.
Share
- Tagged with Big Bash League
20 Responses
Promising start for the Big Bash. Numbers have been solid for all games so far. How long until FTA become involved? The current broadcast deal expires after next season I believe, but will Nine (or anyone else) pounce? There’s the potential for the BBL to pitch itself as the summer alternative to footy by putting marquee games on Friday nights etc. and then maybe the rest of the games on Fox.
Travis, home tests are on the sports anti-siphoning list so keep dreaming.
Great for State Cricket
Just need Foxtel to get the rights for the home Tests and we’ll finally get to see them in HD. Even if they both show it like the Ashes when its over there. FTA are a joke.
So if this was 4th all-time. What shows/events filled in the top 3 positions? I’m assuming sport events?
Farhan: Rugby World Cup broke all records a few months ago, but yes Sport is their biggest drawcard.
Agree HD is the only way to watch sport…..after watching Fox Sports in HD then going back to in SD on 9 is really jarring now.Only sport i watch regularly on FTA is the F1Championship.
Hopefully 7,9 or 10 will never get their hands on this – will be totally ruined.
Good job also that the girls do with the interviews when players come off after getting out.
Got Foxtel for the RWC three months ago and cannot wait for Australian domestic cricket to be in HD in 2013 😀
I’m sick and tired of reading the comments about a foxtel show/sporting event and someone bringing up FTA and how much better it would be. It 9 had this event, they would have butchered it beyond belief and offer no HD coverage. FTA have no idea what they are doing when it comes to sport so either get Foxtel or stop with the comments.
The inevitable is going to happen and all Australian cricket will be on fox in the next ten years for sure.
I was shocked to learn a free-to-air network didn’t buy the rights, based on those figures (about 1 in 3 households have Foxtel?) many of these Big Bash games would have done 1M+ in the 5 cities.
Let’s face it, it’s not like there is anything else on tv to watch. I’ve got zero interest in T20 Cricket but if it’s up against replays of movies that are shown every few weeks, it’s going to rate well.
yet wait….
Fox has gotten the big bash where it is today… and in a year when the rights are up for renewal, 9 will come in and wreak it.
agree with laurie and George… HD is the way to watch…. 65″ just to rock my own boat 🙂
Shane Warne’s running commentary while he was bowling was brilliant. That also goes for Mattie Hayden. It’s great being able to hear the conversations between players on the field.
This is the future of cricket.
@laurie… 100% agree with you. I hate watching sports on SD Crapovision.
Thank God for Foxtel I say… or I would be in the wilderness now that ONE is pretty much destroyed for sport, and I agree with Laurie – it is looking great in HD, it took me a long time to get Foxtel, but couldn’t live without it now…
Looks fantastic on my 60″ in HD instead of SD C r a p o V i s i o n thanks Foxtel
Annoying that no games at all are being covered on Fox Sports Play (Foxtel on T-Box)…
Another 381,000 last night.
Great coverage of domestic cricket but due to the anti-siphoning rules, Fox Sports cannot cover the Boxing Day test in HD.
Really enjoying the big bash. Fox sports know how to cover cricket. HD and a commentary team that has played in the last 40 years. It is a shame they can’t cover the tests. I’d watch them if they did.