Wookie - I think something may be wrong with your numbers for the Wanderers. My numbers sum to a different result as shown below.

I'm not going to pretend to know much about cricket (I certainly don't have anything against it) but would the BBL not be looking to extend the length of their season given how successful it has been?

It amazes me it hasn't happened yet.

Its a tough one, a lot of the bbl matches are played on weeknights, the tournament is designed to begin when the summer holidays start and end just before kids return to school. A few years back they started it in early december and it struggled.

I think a slightly longer season will come with expansion.

Its starting to hurt the traditional forms of the fame though. Its why nine said they would not pay any more for the test one Sayers as they already have. And they will only bid if they for everything (bbl & inter).

Really the bigger you make it. The more you hurt the test/one day inter. And I'm sure they are forced by the icc (FIFA for cricket) do have mim requirements for Australia.

All forms of cricket continue to rate strongly though, bit of a struggle for one dayers and tests at the gate but the amount of live cricket available now in summer here is probably double from 20 years ago when you factor in the bbl.

Apparently the opener last night rated 800k+ metro, and just under 22k sell out at the game, whether you love the format or hate it as a traditionalist, you can't argue that the thing is a monster.

Completely agree. By I was talking in reference to the argument to expand the BBL. 

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/cricket/channel-nine-experiencing-serious-cricket-ratings-slump-ahead-of-new-broadcast-negotiations/news-story/04ef96a6a99c23f14f14b79d11fb7b5e

An even bigger crowd last night, and big ratings are now almost a given.

Never watched a bbl game in my life

BBL over 1 million last night for Session 2 in the dead of daylight savings pre-christmas tv. Pretty impressive.

This is why all three commercial FTA broadcasters are chasing the BBL.

If you had told me this thing would have taken off the way it has 5 years ago I would have laughed, it always rated well but now it's going through the roof, and the crowds are ridiculous. The Melbourne derby will probably get 80,000 again. I don't think many actually give a shit about the teams, but does it matter when they are smashing records all over the country at the gate and on tv?

The reason BBL is successful, it's because it's a short season, it's entertainment, most sports fans don't even know who won last year.
It's hit & giggle, I'm a cricket fan.

Spot on, I can't get my head around this.. It just shows how many Aussies love cricket. I can't watch 5 minutes of it

I used to be a cricket fan - am one of those traditionalists who think 20/20 is the worst thing to ever happen to the game. Truly believe its a talentless hack-fest catering to a society increasingly lacking attention span; disposable entertainment for disposable people,and all those cliches.

I also think its a fad and will very much cool down after a few seasons. I feel one of the FTA stations will pay big and come to regret it in the last year or two of the broadcast deal.

If ratings continue as they are then the bidding should be serious, begs the question of whether or not that's a good thing for FFA in regards to scabbing money off an FTA network for the Sat night simulcast.

I too can't see this these numbers last much longer. What are they gonna do when people are too impatient to spend 3hours at the cricket. 15/15, 10/10, hit and run cricket. 

And as I have said, its starting to affect their international numbers which was what brought in the bigger bucks last time

I hate it and don't really care if everyone else does. We got a good deal that will see us through. We just got to build our game and not worry too much about the other sports.

Love it. 

Nothing i love more than test matches. This hit and giggle tripe is just that. I hate nothing more when people tell me about technique in a BBL match. Makes me cringe. You may as well just say they have good eyesight. 

Baseball fans would prefer the slog of the home run derby in comparison to a regular baseball match. Cricket is the same, the thing they have managed to do is sell 20/20 as a legitimate skillful game, they have sucked in the masses.

Bbl is the last throw of the dice for cricket, if not for the bbl crickets decline would be more obvious than it is,  all the shiny lights are masking crickets serious issues world wide. Real cricket is test cricket,  but it is a 19th century game played in the 21st century and no one goes anymore, bar some ok crowds in England,  India and Australia. 
This is the reason why there is day night cricket here in Australia, it is too give the public a different experience,  unfortunately for cricket the novelty will wear off within 5 years.  Same goes for bbl, it's a novelty, it's flashy, but again you can only hold people's attention for a short time, until people move on to the next flashy thing.
No one can convince me that the bbl is a sport, i feel you have to care who wins and loses & the bbl doesn't get you to care about the team, unlike all the football codes. It's a bit like the Australian idol of sport, it's entertaining but eventually it isn't entertaining anymore. 

According to Wookie, 2nd session of last night's game reached 1.4 million (incl regionals).

WOW, No 1 sport in Australia.

I don't think there is any denying that, especially when it is played across the whole country, like football. NRL/AFL don't have that luxury.

Cricket is the number one when it comes to viewership, football the number one for participation. Cricket an older demographic, football younger. The viewership for football will continue to grow no doubt. Already passed rugby union.

To be fair test cricket was never built for crowds, look at the series against South Africa, if it play starts at 10am whose meant to turn up when kids are at school and adults are at work? Day/night test cricket is a step in the right direction as it at least gives people a chance to rock up and watch a session. Test cricket probably rates well because every work office in the country has channel 9 on in the background lol.

Running Average of Fox ratings for each club and the League.

I wonder if 20/20 goes the way of the fifty overs game what they will think of next?

Can't knock the BBL, it's 'metrics' are undeniable!

But now they're talking about expansion and making their season longer. I think that'll backfire, because at the moment it pretty much starts when schools finish up for the year, and ends just before the kids go back to school on Australia Day, which I think is one of its biggest strengths.

I think by lengthening their season, it'll lose a bit of shine and interest and dilute their numbers a bit.

BBL is here to stay.It's a juggernaught,plowing over anything in its way.
It's perfect for the kids.Much better than any football code.That's why its successful.
It's in summer ,when its warm and its non stop action .Big hits,big screen and speakers everywhere hyping up each ball and kids cheering ,singing and waving inflatables.
On top of that you dont have to stay the whole game.The kids have no idea whats going on.But love it.Parents are happy if the kids are happy.

It's been the saviour of Cricket..which isnt such a bad thing.But it will create a big dilemma if it starts to erode on real cricket.

For Football,we just have to concentrate on ourselves.

Yes and no. If test match cricket dies cricket dies.

Once again I have never watched a game. Who are all these bogans loving this thing. I've never heard anyone talk abou a match either. I don't know anyone who's interested. Maybe they've just got it on in the background. Like 50 overs or a test. Does anyone really give a shit if AUSTRALIA lose. Like really give a shit? I love backyard crickey but honestly, no parent would want their kid to chose cricket as their weekend sport and have to sit there watching fkn grass grow for an hour. We shouldn't be bitter though. I'd rather compete with cricket than the fkn eggball codes, particularly afl. At least crickey isn't insular and we know we need to focus on improving to be the best.

Yeah but look at the crowds at 20/20 all young so i wouldnt say its an older demographic. Thats just for test matches and 1 dayers and the effect of that is being felt. We arent in competition with the long version of the game its 20/20 that will be stealing viewers from.