Big Bash League smashes ratings for Ten
The T20 Big Bash League has started out smashing the ratings for Channel Ten averaging over 800,000 viewers for the opening session on Friday and sustaining large audiences throughout the weekend, according to OzTam.
The KFC-backed cricket event, which runs for 35 games throughout the summer, scored 804,000 viewers for the first session on Friday and 789,000 for the second, ranking third in all programs according to preliminary overnight metro ratings, while consolidated numbers show Ten had an average 1.1m viewers for the opening on Friday.
On Saturday the game ranked fourth in all programs with 753,000, and the Big Bash League averaged 795,000 for the second session between 7pm and 10.30pm on Sunday after session one averaged 640,000 during the afternoon.
The game’s popularity helped Ten win the second largest audience share on Sunday with 15.2 per cent as Nine’s fell to 14.3 per cent making the network fourth for the night after , Seven, Ten and ABC1.
Nine’s audience dropped to 689,000 for 60 Minutes and a repeat episode of The Mentalist averaged 406,000 for Nine during the cricket, as ABC1 averaged 969,000 for Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries.
The Big Bash League also performed strongly in Ten’s key advertising demographic of people 25-54 with session two ranking second in that age group on Sunday and the post-game show and session two scoring sixth and eighth.
Part of Ten’s strategy is to use the games as a platform to launch its upcoming shows and help turn the fate of the trouble network in 2014, with promos fr upcoming sows including Secrets and Lies laced liberally throughout ad breaks.
A Channel Ten spokesman said: “We are very happy with the initial ratings success of the KFC T20 Big Bash League. Australians have clearly embraced this year’s season and we look forward to presenting all the remaining matches, live and exclusive to Ten.”
Hamish McLennan, CEO of Network Ten, told The Australian the $100m investment in the rights for the Big Bash League had paid off.
“We would have been happy with 550,000 viewers, delighted with 750,000 viewers, but to get over one million viewers pays tribute to all of those at Ten who work in programming, marketing, scheduling, production and the commentary box,” McLennan said.
“The Big Bash League was the first programming bet we made against our new strategy and it’s a $100m bet that has paid off in spades. We have an absolute ratings smash on our hands and we have 35 games over summer, which is unprecedented for Ten.”
Despite Ten’s success Seven won the night with a 22.7 per cent audience share while chasing Nine and Ten’s preferred ad demo of people 25-54. The British romantic comedy Love Actually on Seven rated first in 25-54’s and its shows Border Security, Coastwatch and Craziest Christmas Lights were also among the top ten most-watched shows for the age group.
Sunday’s top 15 shows:
- Seven News Seven 996,000
- Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries ABC1 969,000
- Border Security – Australia’s Front Line Seven 966,000
- ABC News ABC1 799,000
- Nine News Sunday 797,000
- Cricket: T20 Big Bash League Game 4 – Session 2 Ten 795,000
- Love Actually Seven 745,000
- Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple ABC1 718,000
- ABC News Update ABC1 711,000
- Coastwatch Seven 697,000
- 60 Minutes Nine 689,000
- Craziest Christmas Lights Seven 663,000
- Cricket: T20 Big Bash League Game 4 – Session 1 Ten 640,000
- The Great Barrier Reef Nine 627,000
- Cricket: T20 Big Bash League Game 4 – Post-game Ten 610,000
Sunday’s share:
- Seven 22.7%
- Ten 15.2%
- ABC1 15.0%
- Nine 14.3%
- SBS ONE 5.3%
- Eleven 4.5%
- 7mate 4.1%
- 7Two 3.9%
- Go! 3.7%
- One 3.3%
- ABC2 2.5%
- Gem 2.5%
- ABC News 24 1.2%
- ABC3 1.0%
- SBS 2 0.7%
- NITV 0.1%
Ratings data is copyright OzTAM and may not be reproduced, published or communicated without the prior written consent of OzTAM.
Ten have the Big Bash on a string this year and will do well
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had a quick look at BBL, won’t be back. A bunch of retired and unknown players.
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@Elbogrease – so the first time you watch a sport, you are surprised you don’t know any of the players? Do you do the same if you watch any other new tv series???
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