Cricket Australia-Star Sports partnership off to a flying start with surge in viewership

Cricket Australia and Star Sports, the official broadcaster of Australian Cricket in India, have announced a surge in Indian viewership of the recently concluded Men’s Big Bash League (BBL) 2023-24 and Pakistan tour of Australia.

More than 55 million viewers watched the entire BBL 2023-24 season on Star Sports Network, 203% more than the previous season, making it the most-watched edition in India. Furthermore, the broadcaster has recorded 3.75 billion minutes of watch time, 105% higher than the previous season. The playoffs and the final on Star Sports were produced in five languages for the first time ever.

Furthermore, the bilateral series between Australia and Pakistan witnessed more than 9.5 million viewers tune in for the three Tests, a remarkable 54% increase compared to the previous Pakistan tour down under.

The increased interest in Australian Cricket after a successful World Cup campaign in India and the promise of action-packed contests combined with growing penetration of the Star Sports Network (available in 9 out of 10 Pay TV homes), a well-rounded marketing campaign promoting the Australian summer and high-quality broadcasts customised for Indian fans, paved the way for this surge in viewership.

Nick Hockley, CEO, Cricket Australia, said, “We are delighted with the strong interest in Australian cricket in India and that this has translated into such big viewing audiences on Star Sports. It is particularly pleasing that the BBL has reached a massive 55 million viewers this season, which is a testament to the quality of cricket and the brilliant coverage being offered by Star Sports, including in multiple languages for the BBL Finals. That more than 9.5 million viewers tuned into Star Sports for the recent series against Pakistan is a testament to the interest in this world champion Australian team and the enduring passion for Test cricket in India.” 

“We can’t wait to host India next summer for the five-Test Border Gavaskar Test Series, at a time when Australia and India are the two top-ranked Test teams in the world. We look forward to working with Star to expand our localised offering to Indian fans in time for next summer’s blockbuster season”, he added.

Sanjog Gupta, Head- Sports, Disney Star, said, “The growth in viewership for the Australian summer is testament to the compelling combination of Australian Cricket's popularity, Star Sports' brand equity (as the most loved destination for sports) and the TV network's wide distribution.  The significant growth in watch-time and engagement also demonstrates the Indian fan's appreciation for quality Cricket and willingness to watch different forms of the sport. The added context of Australia's World Cup win in India and key content initiatives including the addition of Indian languages for BBL playoffs, have acted as boosters to the inherent strength of this collaboration between CA and Disney Star. We are thrilled with the strong start of the journey together.”

Star Sports is currently airing the West Indies tour of Australia, a riveting series comprising two Tests, three ODIs, and three T20Is. Considering the growing interest in Australian cricket on Star Sports, the T20Is between Australia and West Indies will be broadcast in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada on the Star Sports Network.

The Women’s cricket series between Australia and South Africa is also being aired on the Star Sports Network in India. As the partnership between Cricket Australia and Star Sports continues to evolve, fans can expect even more exciting initiatives, innovative technology, and captivating content that will further elevate the cricket viewing experience for viewers across India.