The T20 format is a new sensation in the world of cricket. Fans worldwide are crazy about the format. Depending on its popularity, all the cricket-playing nations started their own T20 league. Similarly, Australia started their own T20 league named BBL. But the last edition of the BBL created a new record in terms of viewership.
Record Viewership:
Cricket Australia and Star Sports, the official broadcaster of Australian Cricket in India, have reported a significant surge in Indian viewership for the Men’s Big Bash League (BBL) 2023-24 and Pakistan tour of Australia. The BBL 2023-24 season witnessed over 55 million viewers on Star Sports Network, marking a remarkable 203% increase from the previous season, making it the most-watched edition in India. Additionally, the broadcaster recorded a staggering 3.75 billion minutes of watch time, a notable 105% rise from the previous season. The playoffs and final, produced in five languages, marked a historic milestone in broadcasting cricket to diverse audiences.
Moreover, the bilateral series between Australia and Pakistan attracted over 9.5 million viewers for the three Tests, marking an impressive 54% rise from the previous Pakistan tour in Australia. The surge in interest can be attributed to Australia’s successful World Cup campaign in India, enticing fans for action-packed contests. The growing accessibility of the Star Sports Network, available in 9 out of 10 Pay TV homes, played a crucial role. A comprehensive marketing campaign promoting the Australian summer and high-quality broadcasts tailored for Indian audiences contributed significantly to this increase in viewership.
CEO’s Words:
After that huge achievement, CEO of Cricket Australia Nick Hockley talked about this. He said, “We are delighted with the strong interest in Australian cricket in India and that this has translated into such big viewing audiences on Star Sports. It is particularly pleasing that the BBL has reached a massive 55 million viewers this season, which is a testament to the quality of cricket and the brilliant coverage being offered by Star Sports, including in multiple languages for the BBL Finals. That more than 9.5 million viewers tuned into Star Sports for the recent series against Pakistan is a testament to the interest in this world-champion Australian team and the enduring passion for Test cricket in India.”
Further, he added, “We can’t wait to host India next summer for the five-Test Border Gavaskar Test Series, at a time when Australia and India are the two top-ranked Test teams in the world. We look forward to working with Star to expand our localized offering to Indian fans in time for next summer’s blockbuster season.”
Disney Star CEO also expressed his feelings, he said, “The growth in viewership for the Australian summer is a testament to the compelling combination of Australian Cricket’s popularity, Star Sports’ brand equity (as the most loved destination for sports), and the TV network’s wide distribution. The significant growth in watch time and engagement also demonstrates the Indian fans’ appreciation for quality Cricket and willingness to watch different forms of the sport. The added context of Australia’s World Cup win in India and key content initiatives including the addition of Indian languages for BBL playoffs, have acted as boosters to the inherent strength of this collaboration between CA and Disney Star. We are thrilled with the strong start of the journey together.”
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