Big Bash pulls in big ratings with thrilling grand final

The grand final of the Big Bash League had 970,000 viewers nationally on Seven and on 344,000 Foxtel (1.3 million in total). Those are solid figures, but it really should have made the million mark on Seven. This was on Saturday night when there was no opposition on free-to-air TV.

If you’re a cricket fan, watching the BBL final was enough tip and run for a season. The game was thrilling. But contrast that to the final day of the fourth test against India and that history-making chase by the visitors. More than 1 million people watched the final session. That’s after India came back from that record low score of 36 in Adelaide. The test series had far more genuine drama than anything I saw in the BBL.

Elsewhere, Holey Moley pulled in 935,000 viewers last night. That’s up from last Wednesday’s third ep of 883,000, but down sharply from the debut 1.51 million. Still a one-hit wonder.

There was little to report from the other channels. Ten’s Amazing Race Australia managed to add viewers on last week (720,000). Nine won total people and the main channels from Seven and Ten.

Nine’s coverage of the Australian Open tennis titles starts today. It’s all on the shoulders of Ash Barty (Nine’s success, that is — not too much pressure now).

Network channel share

1. Nine (29.1%)
2. Seven (27.8%)
3. Ten (19.3%)
4. ABC (16.5%)
5. SBS (7.2%)

Network main channels

1. Nine (21.2%)
2. Seven (20.1%)
3. Ten (12.6%)
4. ABC (11.6%)
5. SBS ONE (4.7%)

Top five digital channels

1. 10 Bold (4.4%)
2. 7mate (3.7%)
3. GO (2.9%)
4. Gem (2.5%)
5. ABC Kids/Comedy/Plus (2.4%)

Top 10 national programs

1. Seven News — 1.398 million
2. Nine/NBN News — 1.181 million
3. 60 Minutes (Nine) — 1.038 million
4. 7pm ABC News — 1.001 million
5. Holey Moley (Seven) — 935,000
6. Grand Designs (ABC) — 734,000
7. The Trump Show – Downfall (Nine) — 732,000
8. The Amazing Race Australia (Ten) — 720,000
9. Harrow (ABC) —711,000
10. Insiders (ABC, ABC News) — 573,000

Metro news and current affairs

1. Seven News — 914,000
2. Nine News — 901,000
3. 60 Minutes (Nine) — 761,000
4. 7pm ABC News — 669,000
5. The Sunday Project 7pm (Ten) — 403,000
6. Nine’s Late News — 309,000
7. The Project 6.30 (Ten) — 298,000
8. Ten News First — 278,000
9. SBS World News — 179,000

Morning (national) TV

1. Insiders (ABC TV, ABC News) — 573,000
2. Weekend Sunrise (Seven) — 404,000
3. Landline – Summer (ABC) — 321,000
4. Weekend Today (Nine) — 276,000
5. Offsiders – (ABC) — 209,000

Top five pay TV programs

1. Outsiders (Sky News), Outsiders (Sky News) — 65,000
2. AFLW: GWS v Adelaide (Fox Footy) — 46,000
3. Cricket: India v England First Test, Day 3 (Fox Cricket) — 38,000
4. AFLW: Brisbane v Gold Coast (Fox Footy) — 38,000
5. Paul Murray Live (Sky News) — 38,000