KFC T20 Big Bash team to return to Ten
Adam Gilchrist
Channel Ten will bring back the KFC T20 Big Bash Team for another season with commentators Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist, Mark Waugh and Damien Fleming lined up for the 2014-15 competition.
The announcement:
With less than nine months to go until the KFC T20 Big Bash League is back on television screens around the country, Network Ten is proud to announce that expert commentators Adam Gilchrist AM, Mark Waugh AM and Damien Fleming have re-signed for the 2014-15 season.
Adam, Mark and Damien will join former team-mate Ricky Ponting AO in the commentary box for the next instalment of the KFC T20 Big Bash League, which will be broadcast live on TEN from December 2014.
The KFC T20 Big Bash League debuted on free-to-air television in December 2013 and was a ratings smash.
The season – which ran Friday, December 20, 2013, to Friday, February 7, 2014 – pulled an average capital-city and regional audience of 910,000 viewers and an average capital-city and regional peak audience of 1.29 million.
More than 1.4 million Australians nationally tuned in to watch the Perth Scorchers triumph over the Hobart Hurricanes in the 2013-14 Final.
Network Ten Head of Sport, David Barham, said: “The KFC T20 Big Bash League beat all our ratings targets in 2013-14 and to have Adam, Mark, Damien and Ricky back for another year is a coup for Network Ten.
“You only have one chance to make a good impression and we worked hard to ensure our inaugural KFC T20 Big Bash League broadcast was a first-class television experience for viewers.
“Adam, Mark, Damien and Ricky share a great chemistry on screen. They offer fans a refreshing, sharp and entertaining approach to cricket commentary, giving the viewer interesting anecdotes and genuine insight,” he said.
“We are thrilled to have them back for another year.”
Between them, Adam, Mark, Damien and Ricky boast some of the highest accolades and records in international cricket. The former team-mates proved popular with viewers and are already looking forward to another season of explosive T20 cricket around Australia.
Adam Gilchrist said: “I am very excited to be back for another season of the KFC T20 Big Bash League with TEN, Mark, Damien and Ricky.
“The success of the League last season shows that T20 cricket has a prominent place on the cricket calendar and is popular with cricket fans of all ages. I have no doubt that Network Ten will continue to grow the game and enhance the broadcast for fans around the country.”
Adam’s cricket career boasts myriad achievements and memorable record-breaking moments.
The former left-handed batsmen, wicket keeper and Australia’s Vice-Captain made his first-class debut in 1992 and played for Australia in 96 Test matches and over 270 One Day Internationals.
Adam holds the record for the most dismissals by a wicket-keeper in One Day International cricket and the most by an Australian in Test cricket. His strike rate is among the highest in the history of both forms of the game and he is the only player to have ever hit 100 sixes in Test cricket.
The KFC T20 Big Bash League will be broadcast live on TEN from December 2014.
KFC T20 Big Bash League 2013-14:
Capital city and regional
Game average: 910,000 viewers, peaked at 1.29 million.
Session 1: 848,000 viewers, peaked at 1.24 million.
Session 2: 982,000 viewers, peaked at 1.28 million.
Capital city
Game average: 634,000 viewers, peaked at 842,000. #1 in its timeslot in men (30.2% commercial
share) and men 25 to 54 (30.6%).
Session 1: 588,000 viewers, peaked at 823,000. #1 in its timeslot in men (28.1%) and men 25 to 54
(29.2%).
Session 2: 685,000 viewers, peaked at 861,000. #1 in its timeslot in men (32.8%) and men 25 to 54
(32.4%).
Regional
Game average: 276,000 viewers, peaked at 448,000.
Session 1: 260,000 viewers, peaked at 418,000.
Session 2: 297,000 viewers, peaked at 419,000.
Source: Ten
