It is "the first time a standalone women's sporting match has been shown in prime time on a commercial free-to-air television network's main channel," according to Larissa Nicholson of THE AGE. It may have been a long time coming, but that "is Cricket Australia's boast for its second Women's Big Bash League series which begins in December." Cricket Australia's Mike McKenna announced "the men's and women's T20 fixtures on Tuesday afternoon, which as expected showed an improved broadcast deal for the WBBL." Channel Ten "will broadcast 10 women's matches, with a further two to be aired on its secondary channel." Channel Ten "also moved two women's matches from ONE HD to their main channel last time around." Network Ten CEO Paul Anderson said that "when he broadcasted the Melbourne Stars clash with reigning premiers Sydney Thunder on Saturday December 10, it would be the first time a women's match of any sport had got a prime-time spot on one of the main free-to-air channels, when it was not a curtain raiser for a men's game." He said, "Network Ten has always been a leader in broadcasting women's sport and we are leading the way again this summer" (THE AGE, 6/7). In Sydney, Peter Lalor wrote the Big Bash League "may be relatively new to commercial television but it has thrown down the gauntlet to one of summer sport’s hottest properties, pitting itself head to head with the Australian Open tennis finals." The BBL final is scheduled for Jan. 28, and "will be broadcast in direct competition to the grand slam’s women’s singles final." The move "is a sign of just how confident the BBL and the network are in their product and is sure to irritate the Seven Network, which has enjoyed that part of the summer schedule to itself." Ten Network Exec Producer David Barham said that "it was a coincidence that the cricket final would be pitted against the tennis, but not one they shied away from." He said, "We certainly are not scared about going up against the tennis. It is a bold move, but if you look at the numbers and how popular it was and the games that we moved to the main channel it is commercially worth the risk" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 6/8).
