As the WBBL season comes to an end this weekend in Hobart, the men’s competition begins it’s 2025-26 campaign in Perth when the Perth Scorchers take on the Sydney Sixers.

Head of Big Bash Leagues Alastair Dobson spoke to Sports Breakfast this morning, speaking on the excitement of concluding the WBBL competition for the year, and opening the men’s campaign this Sunday.

An exciting finish closed out the regular season for the women, with a stunning innings from Bridget Patterson bringing the Adelaide Strikers back into the match in the last five overs, just falling short to the Sixers by one run. 

The intensity of the competition can be accredited to the shortening of it’s seasons since the 2023 across both leagues. 

“It is a bit of a symptom of the shorter season we have these days with only 40 games, both competitions used to be 56, and I think that just creates so much more jeopardy in every game and inevitably keeps the games and the season alive longer,” said Dobson.

“All our data and analysis and consultation suggests, from a player perspective, that every game matters and they can really set themselves for a short and sharp competition, and our fans have responded and our broadcasters really like it.”

Working around the Ashes series has provided the WBBL with an incredible marketing opportunity, using the spike in interest in cricket to attract viewership.

“What we do see is the audiences that are drawn into test cricket then stay and we can leverage that,” he said.

“One of the games we scheduled after a day’s play in the Perth test, which we came off the back of that into a WBBL game in Brisbane, ended up being the most watched WBBL game in a number of years.”

Rain has impacted the women’s season on multiple occasions, including a controversial finish to the Strikers-Thunder clash at a wet Adelaide Oval.

“I think we’re up to 12 or 13 of our 40 matches impacted by rain,” he said.

“One of the reasons we like to put the first game of the men’s season in Perth is, buy and large, you’re gonna get a game.”

The two most successful clubs in the BBL are set to face off at a sweltering Optus Stadium this Sunday.

Dobson said beginning the season in Perth is always a smart decision given the good weather.

“We sit down and we think who would be a good team to play against the Scorchers to give us a big start to the season and you didn’t have to look much past the Sixers, both in terms of their pull into Sydney from an audience perspective, they’re a big team in a big market, but also that rivalry and a couple big names in there for the Sydney Sixers this year,” he said.

One of those big names is former captain of Pakistan, Babar Azam, bringing his batting talent to Sydney this year.

His arrival in Sydney had been received well by fans, proving that the BBL is a ‘competition of choice for the biggest names around the world’.

IMAGE: Perth Scorchers