Australian commercial broadcaster Ten has agreed a deal with the Cricket Australia governing body to cover the inaugural season of Twenty20 competition the Women’s Big Bash League.
Under the deal, Ten will broadcast eight matches of the 2015-16 season of the WBBL, including the final, live on its One channel.
The eight-team WBBL is the first of its kind and the franchise-based Twenty20 tournament will be aligned with the existing men’s BBL structure, adopting the same colours and team names.
General manager of operations for Cricket Australia, Mike McKenna, said: “The Women’s Big Bash League is a significant step forward for women’s cricket in Australia, as we aim to create a visible pathway for talented female athletes.
“The development of the league has been made even more significant by the support of Network Ten, whose outstanding broadcast will allow us to really showcase the high-quality competition to fans around the country.”
The addition of the WBBL adds to Ten’s women’s sport portfolio. Ten already broadcasts the ANZ Netball Championship, Australian Swimming Championships and will air the 2015 Netball World Cup in August.
The 2015-16 season of the WBBL commences on December 5. One will broadcast its first match on December 19.