Last Updated on 1 year by Charbel Coorey

Cricket News: BBL to have lower number of matches from 2023/24 season | Big Bash League season reduced to 44 games

The men’s Big Bash League (BBL) will have fewer matches in the 2023/24 season, one year before the new TV rights deal comes into play. There will be 44 matches in total from the upcoming season (40 home-and-away games & four finals), down from 61.

The BBL has often come for criticism in recent years. The move to a full home-and-away season, combined with the reduced availability of international stars, has led to reduced quality at stages and viewer fatigue. Crowds were down as the league took up more days on the calendar compared to any other league except the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Alistair Dobson, Cricket Australia’s general manager of Big Bash Leagues, said that the move to have a shorter season can allow for quality over quantity.

“A shortened BBL will allow us greater flexibility to ensure we can deliver the best possible fixture for clubs and fans, while providing a platform that allows players to continue to produce the world-class levels of cricket we’ve seen over the duration of the tournament,” he said.

WBBL to remain at 59 games

There will be no change to the number of matches in the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL). This season’s WBBL 09 will remain a 59-game season, with three finals included.

“Whilst no changes have been made to the WBBL schedule, it’s vital that we make sure the tournament continues to be at the forefront of T20 Leagues as the global women’s game continues to evolve at a rapid rate,” said Dobson.

BBL matches – the key changes

• Move from 61 matches to 44 matches (including all finals)
• Top four will qualify for the playoffs, instead of five
• Retention window in May for BBL and WBBL clubs to re-sign up to 12 and 10 players respectively

There will be another BBL draft this season. The WBBL will have its first. They are both expected to take place in September.