Records tumble in Scorchers BBL|13 campaign

The Scorchers home-and-away season saw 178,291 attendees flood through the gates of Optus Stadium at an average of 35,658 per game. This represents an extraordinary growth in average attendance on BBL|12 of 9,168 per game, or 35% larger crowds.

Inclusive of The Knockout Final, 211,408 fans attended the six fixtures in Perth.

Boxing Day’s victory over the Melbourne Renegades saw a record home-and-away Scorchers crowd of 42,226 in attendance, one of two occasions the club broke the 40,000 mark this season.

These attendances were driven by a 26% year-on-year growth in WACA and Perth Scorchers Membership, with over 17,000 Members forming the backbone of the club’s fan base.

The Scorchers’ on-field campaign, characterised by many thrilling finishes, also delighted television audiences. Average home-and-away season ratings across Seven and Foxtel grew 7% in BBL|13 – not accounting for significant growth in Foxtel Group streaming services, which is likely to push overall audience growth into double digits.

Those tuning in to the coverage would have witnessed a sea of orange in the full Optus Stadium stands, with record merchandise sales leading to a sell out of almost all items.

The momentous BBL|13 season follows an equally impressive Weber WBBL|09 campaign. The Scorchers’ Finals pursuit there was supported by average crowds of 2190 at the WACA Ground, alongside a 19% growth in TV audiences on last season.

Throughout both, the work of the WA Cricket Foundation was acknowledged and amplified, best represented by the sale of bespoke Aboriginal artwork and signed Perth Scorchers Aboriginal shirts, raising $32,460 for the Foundation.

Such success on and off field was underpinned by the support of our partners PEET, Budget Direct, PEP Transport, and Komatsu. Alongside these, new matchday presenting partners, Crown Perth and Department of Fire and Emergency Services, ensured matchdays were elevated to a new level this summer.

Perth Scorchers General Manager, Justin Michael, said:

“This has been another brilliant summer for the Perth Scorchers, headlined by record crowds helping lift both our teams into the Finals.

“We thank all our Members and fans for their dedication to the Scorchers again this season, as well as our partners, Optus Stadium, the League, and broadcasters for their support.

“I’d also like to recognise our players who were once again brilliant on and off field ambassadors for our club.

“We also congratulate the Adelaide Strikers and Brisbane Heat on winning this year’s titles. We can’t wait for next season to chase more silverware for the Scorchers.”