All three of the Women's Big Bash League finals will be shown on TV "after Cricket Australia and Network Ten expanded the broadcast schedule to include the two semi-finals," according to Hogan & Decent of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. Ten's "delight at the strong response to showing last weekend's WBBL Melbourne derby on its main channel -- it attracted 372,000 on Saturday afternoon, to be the highest-rating program in its time slot -- has prompted it to follow suit" for the Jan. 16 Sydney derby and the final on Jan. 24. When CA and Ten reached their WBBL broadcasting deal in winter, "it was limited to eight matches." That quota "has been lifted by two, removing the anomaly that would have resulted in the two semifinals not being broadcast." While the decision "could make high-placed teams such as Sydney Thunder and Hobart lose hosting rights" -- because the venues will depend on which men's BBL semifinals they precede -- CA wants to capitalize on the "booming public interest in women's cricket." Ten Head of BBL Dave Barham said that he was "stunned that in the space of a few weeks the network had progressed not only to moving WBBL matches to the main channel but also showing additional matches on short notice." Barham: "I think this year ... the BBL just seems to have exploded. It's quite remarkable" (SMH, 1/6). ESPN reported the post-game coverage for the remaining three broadcast matches "will also be extended by half an hour." CA is also reportedly in discussions with the Nine Network about "the possibility of moving the upcoming three women's T20 internationals between Australia and India onto its main channel." CA Exec GM -- Media, Communications & Marketing Ben Amarfio said, "This is another significant step forward for women's sport and in particular women's cricket in Australia. We want as many people to be exposed to the game, so to have another two WBBL matches move to Ten's primary channel is a great endorsement for the growing appeal of women's cricket" (ESPN, 1/6).
