Big Bash League crowds to return with tickets on sale

Cricket continues to step back towards normality with confirmation that fans in every state capital will be able to attend KFC Big Bash League games this summer.

The prospect of crowds at the BBL this summer had seemed a distant prospect at times this year but Cricket Australia (CA) has released the first batch of tickets for the tournament, which starts on December 10.

CA said in a statement that "tickets will be made available for matches at all venues" in its commitment to playing at the home grounds of all eight teams.

TICKET ON SALE DATES

Friday, November 27, 10:00am: December matches, excluding Adelaide Oval, plus Blundstone Arena January matches

Tuesday, December 8, 4:00pm AEDT: January 1-12 matches, excluding Adelaide Oval

Tuesday, December 22, 10:00am AEDT: January 13-26 matches, plus Adelaide Oval December 28, 31 & January 5 matches

TBC: Adelaide Oval January 8 & 11 matches

CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS

Tickets for BBL games being played in December (except the ones in Adelaide), as well as all January games at Blundstone Arena, are now available for purchase for fans wanting to attend matches in Hobart, Launceston, Canberra, Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

That includes all but two of the first 21 BBL games, which sees all eight teams playing at those five venues.

Tickets for the next 16 games (again excluding the ones in Adelaide) from January 1-12, which include five at Perth's Optus Stadium, then go on sale from December 8.

Seats for the remaining regular-season games, plus the first three Adelaide Oval games on December 28, 31 and January 5, will be available from December 22.

That final stretch includes the marathon run of games to be played in Melbourne, which will see 11 matches in 12 days at the MCG and Marvel Stadium, and Sydney, which hosts 11 at the SCG and Showgrounds Stadium.

CA is yet to confirm when tickets will be available for the January 8 and 11 games at Adelaide Oval.

It comes as crowds are also set to return for international men's cricket for the Dettol ODI series between Australia and India, which begins in Sydney today.

"We are thrilled to welcome our Big Bash fans around the country back to the cricket this summer," BBL chief Alistair Dobson said.

"The first release of tickets for KFC BBL|10 is another major milestone in the build-up to a huge season and a testament to the excellent collaboration between governments, venues our Clubs and the League.

"We can't wait for our stadiums around Australia to be filled with the colours and sounds of the Big Bash and ensure everyone enjoys their day or night out at the cricket in a safe way."

The Big Bash finals begin on January 29 and Dobson said earlier this week he hopes they will be able to be staged at the home venues of competing clubs.

But the COVID-19 pandemic has forced sporting bodies in Australia to be flexible and the league boss says the BBL is no different.

"Our ambition is to play the finals series, as we would in a normal year, with the teams that earn the right to host a final … and play them in front of their home fans," Dobson told reporters this week.

"That said, we know how quickly this thing moves and we do have the right to lock that final in and play it at a different venue if logistics don't allow.

"But the plan at this stage is that the teams that earn the right to host a final get that opportunity."