Cricket Australia defends BBL quality as KFC extends $10m deal

Cricket officials have leapt to the defence of the Big Bash League, arguing keen sponsor interest shows it will still have prominence this summer.

The Big Bash League has been in demand for sponsors despite the public battering it has received from broadcaster Channel 7. Picture: Getty Images

Cricket officials have leapt to the defence of the Big Bash League, arguing that keen sponsor interest shows it will still have prominence this summer despite criticism that the once hugely popular competition is on the wane.

The BBL has been at the heart of a blistering attack from its broadcaster, Seven West Media boss James Warburton, who has waged a bitter campaign against Cricket Australia in recent weeks in an effort to force the sport back to the negotiating table to re-cut Seven’s share of a six-year, $1.18bn television deal.

Warburton has accused Cricket Australia of “ripping off” its fans by hosting a BBL with few big-name players and the prospect of matches before small or no crowds because of COVID-19.

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But Cricket Australia will announce on Friday that KFC has won the battle to maintain its major sponsorship deal for the BBL, striking a three-year extension said to be worth more than $10m annually and fighting off competition from rival McDonald’s.

KFC has already been with cricket for 17 seasons and extends its existing BBL naming rights contract in a deal that will now see the fast food brand involved at rebel Women’s Big Bash League and Australian women’s national team matches.

Cricket’s executive general manager of fan engagement, Anthony Everard, said observers needed to “separate fact from fiction” regarding the BBL, which he claimed would still be an important part of the Australian summer despite two seasons of declining ratings.

“The facts are that the BBL is still the dominant domestic sporting league across the summer months, and the highest rating sporting league,” Everard told The Australian.

“It is a competition that last year had an average 650,000 viewers every night and one million spectators through the gates. So the metrics are still strong.

“Looking ahead to this summer, I think the BBL is going to play a more important role than ever for families. Without putting too fine a point on it, it has been a pretty average winter and the BBL will provide the light relief, fun and entertainment for families.”

Everard said the league’s popularity was not predicated on having Australia’s Test and limited-overs international players lining up for BBL franchises.

“We want to make sure the BBL, like any other year, is a valuable commodity for all of our partners, be it KFC, Seven or Fox Sports.

“If you look back on the nine years of the Big Bash, one of the features and key elements of its success has been the diversity of the players that take the field,” he said.