More televised games highlight WBBL|07 fixture

A record number of WBBL matches will be broadcast on television this summer as it was confirmed the tournament will return to a national, festival-based competition.

The seventh edition of the WBBL will begin with a clash between the Sydney Sixers and Melbourne Stars under lights at North Sydney Oval on Thursday October 14 and culminate in a primetime final on Saturday November 27.

View the WBBL|07 fixture in full

As has been the case in previous years, fans in Australia will be able to watch all 59 matches live and free on either the Seven Network or cricket.com.au, while more games than ever – 47 in total – will be broadcast on television.

Of those 47, 24 will be televised on free-to-air on Seven and simulcast on Foxtel, while the other 23 games will be shown on Foxtel and Kayo Sports and also live streamed on cricket.com.au.

The remaining 12 matches will be live streamed for free on cricket.com.au, while games will also be broadcast on ABC Radio.

The 47 television games, 11 more than last season, will mean a higher-quality broadcast for most matches, with more cameras at more games capturing every angle.

The increased TV coverage signals the growth of the league since its inaugural season in 2015-16, where just 10 matches were shown on television.

After WBBL|06 was played entirely in a Sydney-based bio-secure hub due to COVID-19 border closures, the seventh edition of the tournament will be played across all six states.

North Sydney Oval will host all eight teams on the opening weekend, with Sydney chosen to begin the season due to the short turnaround with Australia's multi-format series against India, which concludes with the third and final T20I at the same venue on October 11.

The competition will then move around the country across the next five weeks to venues including the WACA Ground, Metricon Stadium, Junction Oval, Karen Rolton Oval in Adelaide, Lilac Hill in Perth, Blundstone Arena, University of Tasmania Stadium in Launceston, Blacktown International Sportspark, Centennial Park Oval in Nuriootpa and Mackay's Great Barrier Reef Arena.

The Gold Coast’s Metricon Stadium will host WBBL matches for the first time and will serve as a home base for the Brisbane Heat given their usual home at Allan Border Field will be under redevelopment.

A three-match, four-team finals series will be played on November 24, 25 and 27, and the schedule comes with a COVID-19 caveat that outbreaks and border closures could force changes; recent outbreaks in Victoria, New South Wales, Western Australia and Queensland have seen the winter codes amend their fixtures on the run, while crowd restrictions have fluctuated.

"We’re also delighted to take the competition back to our passionate and loyal fans around the country provided it is safe to do so," Cricket Australia’s head of the Big Bash, Alistair Dobson, said.

"We’re hoping to give as many fans as possible the opportunity to watch their teams live, along with the millions watching on TV across Australia and around the world.

"To commit to televising 47 matches this season demonstrates the incredible growth and depth of our competition, which is firmly cemented as Australia’s highest rating women’s sporting league on a per game basis.

"Like all sporting leagues, we remain conscious of the need to be flexible in response to the challenges of the pandemic. This schedule provides us with a number of options should we need to pivot, and the lessons of WBBL|06 and KFC BBL|10 stand us in good stead should we need to do so."

The contract embargo for WBBL|07 lifted in late April, with clubs again able to sign a maximum of three overseas players.

Further information regarding club memberships and ticket availability will be released in due course.