SHANE Watson never thought he’d see the day.
“We’re getting 40,000 people to domestic cricket games, when I first started out I never would have dreamt of it,” Watson said.
The Big Bash Twenty20 league has become one of hottest sporting tickets in town, and Australia’s recently retired Test star will be playing more games in the tournament than ever before with his new lightened workload.
Watson, signed to Sydney Thunder, will be one of the headline acts when they host cross-city rivals Sydney Sixers in the opening match on December 17 at Spotless Stadium (the old Sydney Showground).
Because he is no longer part of the Test setup, Watson will be available for six of the eight BBL games before he heads to India for IPL duties, which will be the longest season of Big Bash he’s played so far.
“Initially I was probably sceptical of the Big Bash because of the scheduling, knowing how much Shield cricket and Matador Cup there was to play, but just seeing how much the Australian public have loved the BBL, I just want to be a part of it,” Watson said.
“To think that even when we’ve got international games going on in Australia, that same night 20,000 or 30,000 people are turning up to watch domestic cricket is unbelievable.”
Few, if any, sporting leagues around the world can boast a 23 per cent rise in crowds in one year when television coverage and technology have made couch-viewing better than ever.
But that’s the growth the Big Bash has recorded from 2013 to 2014, and tickets are selling fast to the opening game.
Sydney Sixers general manager Dom Remond said it was “hugely disappointing” to have to turn away 2000 spectators at the SCG last season when his side hosted the Thunder after tickets sold out early.
“We are in the Sydney market and people do tend to leave things til the last minute, but our message is certainly to get in early because we don’t want a repeat of last season,” Remond said.
“I think this year’s Big Bash has got a better quality of player than it ever has, with Chris Gayle coming back and Kumar Sangakkara, we’ve got Michael Lumb and Johan Botha.”
And to appease young families, the Sixers will play a twilight match in their opening home game against Hobart on December 20, played from 4.30-7.30pm and to be followed by Christmas carols on the SCG pitch for fans afterwards.
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