Big Bash League

Background

Following the creation of the T20 Blast in 2003 and a perceived waning interest in Australian cricket from teenage audiences, Cricket Australia launched the Twenty20 Big Bash in 2005–06.^[1] The Twenty20 Big Bash was the first top-level domestic Twenty20 cricket competition in Australia and was contested between the six state-based teams that contested the Sheffield Shield and One-Day Cup.^[2] The competition held its last season in 2010–11. In July 2011, Cricket Australia announced the launch of a franchise-based competition, the Big Bash League, as a replacement for the Twenty20 Big Bash League.^[3][4] This competition would have eight, city-based teams, as opposed to the six state-based teams of its predecessor.

Trophy

A design contest was held in 2011 to determine the design of the Big Bash League trophy. The competition was restricted to Australian designers, with the final design, chosen by the public from a field of three, revealed on 13 December 2011.^[5][6]

Expansion proposals

It had been proposed that the tournament would undergo expansion into more regional areas not supported by international cricket. The expansion was originally planned to be implemented in 2012. The proposed teams included: Newcastle, Canberra, Geelong, and Gold Coast. A New Zealand-based team was also mentioned as a possibility which would be based at Auckland or Christchurch, but this is unlikely to happen.^[7][8] The expansion proposal was suspended, mainly because the proposed cities lacked the proper cricket hosting facilities.^[9][10]

In 2015, former Black Caps captain and Melbourne Stars coach Stephen Fleming suggested the expansion of the tournament to include New Zealand teams and become a trans-Tasman competition. He said an expansion into New Zealand would be widely supported by locals.^[11] His views were also supported by Brisbane Heat coach and former Black Caps captain Daniel Vettori.^[12] Melbourne Renegades chief executive Stuart Coventry also stated that he wants Cricket Australia to grant each club a fifth home fixture next season. Coventry said the BBL was ready to expand from 8 to 10 games, and adding matches would further establish the franchises.^[13]

In 2016, Anthony Everard, head of the BBL, flagged the league's intentions to approach expansion through a soft launch. He stated the short to medium term goal was to schedule BBL games involving existing franchises in regional markets before potentially adding new teams after the 2017–18 season when the broadcast deal expired. He also indicated the regional markets of Canberra, Geelong, Launceston, Coffs Harbour, Albury, Moe, Cairns, Gold Coast, and Alice Springs will likely host games during the soft launch period.^[14] On 27 January 2017, Everard announced an extra eight matches would be added to the 2017–18 season and implored each existing franchise to look at new markets when considering where the extra games would be played,^[15] although the lengthened season was not implemented until 2018–19.

In 2018, it was reported that the Gold Coast Suns were interested in securing a Big Bash League franchise if the competition was expanded.^[16]

Cricket ACT has campaigned for an expansion team in both the men's and women's competition. In October 2024, Australian Capital Territory Chief Minister Andrew Barr announced as part of his campaign for the 2024 Australian Capital Territory election, that the ACT Government would provide funding for an expansion team in both the men's and women's competitions in partnership with Cricket ACT, if the territory was granted a team. The proposed team would be based at Manuka Oval in Canberra, where the Australian national team have hosted international fixtures.^[17][18] In July 2025, Cricket Australia (CA) CEO Todd Greenburg floated the idea of expanding the competition to New Zealand, following a Boston Consulting Group (BCG) report on improving and innovating the league.^[19] ESPN reported in December 2025 that "New Zealand, which boasts teams in many Australian sports leagues, is an obvious first foray abroad [for the BBL]. Its proximity to the east coast of Australia makes it easier from a logistical sense while being attractive to broadcasters. With New Zealand being two hours ahead of Sydney and Melbourne, and five in front of Perth, having triple headers on game days could create a television bonanza."^[20] The CA board was reported to also be considering an expansion into Singapore.^[21]

Women's Big Bash League

Former women's Test captain and Head of Brisbane's Centre of Excellence, Belinda Clark, revealed on 19 January 2014 that planning for a women's BBL was in its early stages but could become a reality very soon. She stated that the proposal was being considered due to the huge rise in television ratings during the 2013–14 season, and the rise in women's cricket popularity.^[22]

On 19 February 2015, Cricket Australia announced that a Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) would commence in the 2015–16 season, with teams aligned to the men's competition. It was announced that the teams would share the names and colours of the existing men's BBL teams, meaning that there would be two teams from Sydney and Melbourne and one team from Adelaide, Brisbane, Hobart, and Perth.^[23]

The inaugural Women's Big Bash League was won by the Sydney Thunder against the Sydney Sixers by 3 wickets. The current champion from the 2022–23 Women's Big Bash League season is Adelaide Strikers who won their maiden WBBL title by defeating Sydney Thunder by 10 runs.^{[citation needed]}

Christmas Day match

In December 2015, Cricket Australia revealed that they are looking into the possibility of hosting a Christmas Day BBL match in the coming years, possibly after the next season. If the proposal is passed, it would have been a first in the history of Australian sport since no professional matches had played in Australia on Christmas Day at that time. "It is something we have just recently started discussing, the possibilities of that. We're talking about playing a Christmas Eve match, we already play Boxing Day," CA's Executive GM (Operations) Mike McKenna said.^[24] This has not yet occurred, but in September 2018, it was reported that Cricket Australia had struck a deal with the Australian Cricketers' Association to play BBL matches on Christmas Day.^[25][26]

BBL|01–BBL|08: Knock-out playoff system

The first BBL season had 28 group stage matches, before expanding to 32 in the following season.^[14] Each team played seven in a round-robin tournament style format, before playing a second team twice, allowing both Sydney and Melbourne teams to play two derbies within a single season.^[27] The top four ranked teams then progressed to the semi-finals, played in a knockout style to determine the season champions.^[27] The final of the tournament is played at the home ground of the higher-ranked team. The only exception to this rule was 2014–15 season when the final was played at a neutral venue (Manuka Oval), due to the 2015 Cricket World Cup.^[28][29]

Additionally, carrying on from the Twenty20 Big Bash, each season's two finalists used to qualify for the Champions League Twenty20 tournament, an annual international Twenty20 competition played between the top domestic teams from various nations.^[30][31] The tournament became defunct after its 2014 edition.^[32][33]

In the 2017–18 season, the tournament expanded from 32 matches to 40 matches, with each team playing 10 matches before the semi-finals.^[34] The season was held over a similar time-frame thus resulting in more doubleheaders (one game afternoon, one game night) and teams playing more regularly.^[35]

From the 2018–19 season, each team played all other teams twice during a season, for a total of 56 regular season matches before the finals series.^[36] This season also saw the introduction of a 'bat flip' to decide which team would bowl or field first, replacing a traditional coin toss.^[37]

BBL|09–BBL|12: Five-team playoff system, introduction of the "Power Surge"

The finals structure was changed in the 2019–20 season to include a fifth team, and a "double chance" for the top two teams. The structure was a hybrid version of the Page–McIntyre final four system with the addition of 'The Eliminator' being the difference between the original and hybrid versions.^[38]

The following season saw the introduction of three new rules:^[39][40]

• the "Power Surge", a two-over period that acted as a second powerplay, forcing a set amount of fielder into the inner circle.
• the "X-Factor player", a player could enter a match after the 10th over of the first innings or later as a replacement for any player who had not yet bat or had bowled no more than one over.
• the "Bash Boost", a bonus point awarded during the second innings based on a target set via the Duckworth–Lewis–Stern method.^[41]

The 2022–23 season saw the removal of the "Bash Boost" bonus points and "X-Factor player".^[42] In addition to keeping the "Power Surge", the Decision Review System was also implemented, giving teams one review per innings.^[43]

BBL|13–present: Four-team playoffs return

The 2023–24 season was shortened, with each team played ten regular season matches, playing three teams twice, and four teams once; for a total of 40 regular season games and 4 finals. This was in response to concerns that the 61-game season was too long.^[44] Furthermore, the league reverted to the top four reaching the playoff stage from the 2023–24 season, but retained the double chance for the top two teams:

• Qualifier – First v Second
• Knockout – Third v Fourth
• Challenger – Loser of the Qualifier v Winner of the Knockout
• Final – Winner of the Qualifier v Winner of the Challenger

Sydney Smash

The Sydney Smash is a game between the Sydney-based teams, the Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder. This rivalry was started in the inaugural season due to both teams being from Sydney and being made up of New South Wales cricket team players. The Sixers have won 16 times to the Thunder's 7 but the game still attracts a large crowd for every game.^{[citation needed]}

Melbourne Derby

The Melbourne Derby took place between the two Melbourne based teams, the Melbourne Renegades and the Melbourne Stars until 2026. This derby was similar in nature to the Sydney Smash as the cores of both teams come from the Victoria cricket team and happened since the inaugural season of the competition until BBL|15. In BBL|05 the game drew the largest crowd for a Big Bash game with 80,883 fans attending the game at the MCG.^[58] In 2026, it was announced that Cricket Victoria intends to merge the two teams into one identity, effectively ending the rivalry.^[59] Two weeks later, after pushback from other state associations, this move was reversed and the two teams will continue to play as separate entities.^[60]

Perth Scorchers – Sydney Sixers

The Scorchers/Sixers rivalry has developed over the competition's 15 seasons due to their unparalleled success.^[61] The Scorchers have won the title six times and Sixers have claimed the trophy three times. The Scorchers and the Sixers have both been runners up three times. They've met in the final on six occasions. The Scorchers have won four of those encounters and the Sixers two.^[62]

Team summary by season

Champions

Wooden Spoons

The wooden spoon in Big Bash League is a colloquial term for the team that finishes the season at the bottom of the table.^[64][65] The Hobart Hurricanes are the only team to never win the wooden spoon.

Television audiences

BBL games are currently broadcast in Australia on free-to-air television by the Seven Network and subscription television by Fox Cricket. The Seven Network broadcasts 45 of 61 Matches including the Finals Series. Fox Cricket televises all 61 Matches including 16 Matches exclusively in 4K.^[76]

The rights were previously held by Network 10, who in 2013 paid $100 million for BBL rights over five years, marking the channel's first foray in elite cricket coverage.^[77] Network 10's BBL coverage became a regular feature of Australian summers and attracted an average audience of more than 943,000 people nationally in 2014–15 season, including a peak audience of 1.9 million viewers for the final between the Scorchers and Sixers.^[78]

The 2015–16 season attracted an average audience of 1.13 million for each match in Australia this season, an 18% increase over the previous season. A cumulative audience of 9.65 million watched the matches in Australia, out of which 39% were women.^[79][80] The opening Sydney Derby match of the season attracted a peak audience of 1.53 million.^[81] The last group match between Renegades and Strikers in Season 2 was watched by an average audience of 1.36 million, which peaked at 1.67 million.^[82] The BBL Final was watched by an average audience of 1.79 million, which peaked at 2.24 million viewers. This was the first time that the ratings for a BBL match crossed the 2 million mark.^[83] The KFC BBL|10 Final reached 2.5 million viewers on Seven and 669,000 on Foxtel, capping an extraordinary season in which players, officials, staff and broadcast partners successfully navigated through the many challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.^[84]