January 10, 2024 -- As the summer of cricket heads towards the last ball, the Seven Network’s live and free coverage of the Test and BBL matches is smashing it out of the park, catching audiences in droves. 

So far this summer, Seven’s Test and BBL coverage has reached a combined 10.5 million Australians nationally, including 7.1 million in the capital cities. 

The 2023-24 cricket season has made Seven #1 so far this summer, with a 43.2% all people commercial audience share – its highest ever share at this point in summer. Seven also ranks #1 in people 25 to 54. 

The three Australia v Pakistan Tests reached 8.75 million people nationally (5.8 million in the capital cities), with an average national audience of 725,000 nationally. The average audience was up 3% nationally on the same Tests in the 2022-23 season and up 4% in the capital cities.

The first Test in Perth saw a 29% increase nationally year-on-year (up 31% in the capital cities), while the third Test was up 3% nationally and 4% in the capital cities. 

Despite a high number of rain-affected matches this season, the BBL has reached 8.2 million people so far, including 5.4 million in metropolitan markets. 

The BBL’s average season-to-date national audience is 484,000 and has grown in the capital cities, including a 24% jump in Brisbane and a 2% increase in Melbourne. 

Crowd numbers for the BBL are also on the rise, climbing an impressive 24% so far this summer, while attendance at Test matches is up 16%. 

Managing Director Seven Melbourne and Head of Network Sport, Lewis Martin, said: “With big crowds, strong audience numbers and exciting matches, it’s been a hot summer of cricket so far on Seven – and we’re not finished yet – with the Australia v West Indies Tests, the high-energy BBL finals and a cracking Women’s International Series still to come.

“This summer has been the perfect set up for the next two massive summers of cricket, live and free on Seven and, for the first time, 7plus. 

“The 2024-25 summer will see the best teams in the world face off, with five Tests between Australia and India, complemented by what promises to be a fantastic BBL season with many of the big-name players available for the competition,” he said. 

“But it doesn’t stop there. The 2024-25 summer will deliver the biggest women’s cricket season to date, when Australia hosts two epic international series against New Zealand and India, all before our nation’s most decorated team face arch-rival England in the Women’s Ashes on home soil, all live and free on Seven and 7plus.

“Late next year, Seven will launch cricket on 7plus, giving all Australians digital live and free digital access to the nation’s favourite summer sport. Cricket on 7plus will be a real game changer for the fans and for the sport.

“The Ashes will return for the 2025-26 summer, with all the gripping action on Seven and 7plus. It’s going to be massive.”

Mr Martin said Seven had worked closely with Cricket Australia to plan and schedule this summer’s matches, and planning for the next two big summers was already underway.

“We also stepped up the marketing of Seven’s cricket for this summer. The ads for the Australia v Pakistan Tests with Richard Roxburgh took our cricket promotions to a whole new level, while the ‘It’s just not cricket’ campaign for BBL proved a powerful reminder of how exciting and entertaining the competition is and how it’s big, different and great family entertainment,” he said. 

Seven’s summer of cricket continues, with the BBL regular season and finals playing out and the first of two Tests between Australia and the West Indies kicking off on Wednesday, 17 January, before the Australia v South Africa Women’s International Series begins on Saturday, 27 January.

For more information, please contact:

Neil Shoebridge
M: 0417 511 012
E: neil@skmediagroup.com.au

Emma Francis
Senior Publicist, Sport
M: 0415 721 413 P: 03 9697 7763
E: efrancis@seven.com.au

Brittany Stack
National Publicity Manager, News & Public Affairs and Sport
M: 0410 724 424
E: bstack@seven.com.au

About the Seven Network

The Seven Network is part of Seven West Media (ASX: SWM), one of Australia’s most prominent media companies, with a market-leading presence in content production across broadcast television, publishing and digital. The Seven Network alone reaches more than 17 million people a month. 

The company is home to some of Australia’s most renowned media businesses, including the Seven Network and its affiliate channels 7two, 7mate, 7flix and 7Bravo; broadcast video on demand platform 7plus; 7NEWS.com.au; The West Australian; and The Sunday Times. The Seven Network is home of Australia’s most loved news, sport and entertainment programming. Its iconic brands include Australia’s leading news and public affairs programs 7NEWS, 7NEWS Spotlight, Sunrise and The Morning Show, The Voice, Home and Away, Dancing With The Stars, Australian Idol, My Kitchen Rules, SAS Australia, Farmer Wants A Wife, The Chase Australia, Better Homes and Gardens, RFDS, The 1% Club and the TV WEEK Logie Awards. Seven Network is also the broadcast partner of the AFL, Cricket Australia and Supercars.

Source: please contact Seven Network for source information.