Head of Big Bash Competition Development Margot Harley has given this season a massive tick of approval after crowd and viewership numbers continues to smash records across the season. 

Competing sides, including the Brisbane Heat and Perth Scorchers have reported a surge in attendance, surpassing records set in previous years – despite missing finals. Meanwhile broadcasters are reporting more people are tuning in to catch the action. 

Channel Seven – the Big Bash’s free-to-air broadcaster, reported the full season attracted 21 per cent more viewers than last season, making it the largest Big Bash’s audience on Seven in five years, with 11.9 million viewers tuning in across BBL14.  

Reflecting on the season, Harley says the Big Bash is ‘wrapped’ by the growth in viewership.

“You do have some solidified fans that are traditionalists and will watch test cricket or prefer the shorter form, but we’re definitely seeing more people come through,” she told SportFM.

“We had an average of over 1.1 million watch on Monday night. Our crowds have been up nearly 10%. So we’re getting more people through the gates and exposing them to the entertainment product that is the Big Bash. 

“What we’re seeing is the repeat attendees are bringing along new family members, new friends and it’s really just going from strength to strength. We’re absolutely wrapped with how it’s all performed this year.” 

The Big Bash season was capped off with the Hobart Hurricanes taking out their maiden title against the Sydney Thunder in front of a sold-out home crowd at Ninja Stadium. 

Local boy Mitch Owen was the headlining act after a history-making knock that saw him bring up a 39-ball century and lead his side home. 

Of those runs, 11 were sixes, while six were fours, leaving the Thunder bowling unit in a spin until they eventually dismissed the Tassie local on 108 off 42 deliveries. 

Harley says performances like Owen’s serves as a reminder of the change and growth of the league.

“I walked past a photo of Mitch in the crowd on the wall of Ninja Stadium actually on Monday night,” she said.

“It’s very much a dream for these young boys and girls now that have grown up with the Big Bash. They don’t know a world prior to that.

“We had nearly 16,000 people there on Monday night all shouting his name and he was pretty taken away with it. I think everyone in Tasmania was watching it on TV. 

“So for us, it’s about the cricket, but it’s about the emotion and the memories that people are creating for themselves, but also with their families so that it lives on and carries on into generations. 

“That’s super important for us in the Big Bash and we just hope that people continue to engage with it as they have because our numbers have just been absolutely through the roof, which we’re really happy about.” 

Closer to home, while the on-field results weren’t quite up to scratch for the Perth Scorchers, the off-field crowd numbers once again exceeded expectations.

The Scorchers have reported over 192,000 fans attended home games across the season, with an average of 38,500 fans across all five home games. 

The Orange Army also smashed the record for the largest home and away crowd, with over 46 thousand fans showing up for their clash with the Sydney Thunder.  

“The work that the team at the WACA and the Scorchers do is world class. I can’t speak highly enough for them,” said Harley.

“I think it’s just the way they garner the Western Australian spirit and the one-team-town mentality of we are orange, we are the Scorchers. 

“We work really closely with the team at the Scorchers in relation to the fixtures, obviously it’s a time-shifted market. So that allows us to really lean into what they’re trying to do. 

“They have some great game day themes and they really work in with the community and I think the community really respond to that by engaging and connecting with the team and also the players on the field. 

“They’re true blue Scorchers players and Western Australian players. I think that connection with the crowd keeps people coming back and the crowds have been league leading and absolutely phenomenal and I know that they’ll just continue to grow, which is insane.” 

IMAGE: cricket.com.au