Test crickets much speculated future appears to be in good hands if the first series of the summer is anything to go by with record crowds, and excellent tv ratings, despite no Test lasting into the fifth day.
The series was attended by 349,252 at an average of 29,104 across 12 match days.
The total aggregated audience for the series across all breaks, pregame coverage and matchplay sessions is expected the be more than 61 million. The average session had an average national audience across FTA and subscription tv/streaming of 1.004m over 36 sessions of test cricket. 20 different sessions (55%) had an average audience in excess of a million.
- 2nd Test, Day 4, Session 3 – 1.407m (est)
- 2nd Test, Day 3, Session 3 – 1.397m (est)
- 2nd Test, Day 2, Sesson 3 – 1.324m (est)
- 3rd Test, Day 1, Session 3 – 1.315m (est)
The average audience is about the same as reported for the India test series in 2019. According to the Financial Review
“OzTam ratings data revealed an average national audience of about 1.06 million for the four Test matches across Seven, its regional affiliate Prime and Foxtel. The figures do not include viewers who may have been watching via Foxtel’s new sports streaming service Kayo, which was launched that November.”
“The result was down about 18 per cent on India’s previous Test tour of Australia in 2014-15. That series delivered an average national audience of about 1.3 million over the four matches on Nine and its then regional affiliate WIN. At the time, Foxtel did not have Cricket Australia’s broadcast rights.”
First Test – Perth (The West Test)
- Optus Stadium
- Thursday December 14-Sunday December 17.
- Weather: Good.
Attendance
The First Test was attended by 59,125 at an average of 14.781 per day, reaching its peak on day 2. It was the largest for a Test Match in Perth against Pakistan. This was 40% greater than the previous record, with this year’s crowd peaking at 17,666 on day two. It was well up on the 42,517 that attended the 2022 test match against the West Indies.
| Test | Date | Day | Attendance |
| Day 1 | 14/12 | Thursday | 16,259 |
| Day 2 | 15/12 | Friday | 17,666 |
| Day 3 | 16/12 | Saturday | 15,956 |
| Day 4 | 17/12 | Sunday | 9,244 |
Broadcast
The aggregated average audience for the first test came to more than 17 million across pregame, breaks and session play on all platforms. Including streaming, the average session audeince was 942,000.
Session two of day four of the West Test had a national average audience of 1.1 million on linear TV across Foxtel and the Seven Network, with streaming audiences across Foxtel Group on Kayo Sports, Foxtel Go and Foxtel Now boosting audience figures further.
The NRMA Insurance West Test linear TV ratings were up 22% on last year’s opening Test across Foxtel and the Seven Network, with streaming audiences across Foxtel Group up 43%.
Seven
The Seven Network’s live and free coverage of Australia’s historic victory over Pakistan in the West Test at Optus Stadium hooked viewers, reaching 5.97 million Australians nationally and averaging a daily peak audience of 894,000 viewers.
With an average broadcast audience of 631,000 viewers (649,000 according to VOZ), the West Test dominated its timeslots – ranking #1 in all people, 25 to 54s and 16 to 39s – and was up 24% on last year’s opening Test.
Session two on the fourth day of the Test saw the biggest audience , with 885,000 viewers nationally (909,000 – VOZ) and a reach of 1.8 million.
Foxtel
FoxCrickets linear audience averaged 172,000, with Session two on the fourth day having the biggest average audience with 237,000 nationally. On Kayo and other Fox Streams, the audience averaged 121,000 per session, with Session 3 on the fourth day scoring the biggest audience with 159,000 viewers.
Second Test – Melbourne (Boxing Day Test)
- MCG
- Tuesday December 26- Fri December 30
- Weather: Ok
Attendance
The Second Test was attended by 164,835 at an average of 41,209 with 62,167 attending on Boxing Day. This was up on the 155,714 that attended the South Africa test last summer, and was the second highest attendance for an Australia-Pakistan Test at the MCG.
| Test | Date | Day | Attendance |
| Day 1 | 26/12 | Tuesday | 62,167 |
| Day 2 | 27/12 | Wednesday | 44,837 |
| Day 3 | 28/12 | Thursday | 39,802 |
| Day 4 | 29/12 | Friday | 18,029 |
Broadcast
The aggregated average audience for all sessions, breaks and pregame coverage reached 24m for the Boxing Day test, with the session average estimated at 1.174m across all platforms. Session 3 on Day 4 appears to have been the most watched as 1.4m tuned in to the Seven and Fox coverage.
Seven
Australia’s triumph over Pakistan in the second Test at the MCG was a summer hit for the Seven Network, with its live and free coverage reaching 5.5 million Australians nationally and averaging a daily peak audience of 850,000 viewers.
The second Test scored an average broadcast audience of 720,000 viewers (VOZ – 814,000). It dominated its timeslots, ranking #1 in all people, 25 to 54s and 16 to 39s.The biggest audience was achieved with the third session on Day Three, which had an average of 948,000 viewers (VOZ – 986,000) nationally and reached 2.1 million.
Foxtel
FoxCrickets Linear audience averaged 211,000 per matchplay session during the Boxing Day Test, with 263,000 wastching the third session on Day 4.
Streaming data is not yet available. Estimates based on the first Test show a 70% ratio of streamers to linear viewing on Fox and as a result we estimated the average stream to be around 148,000 per session.
Third Test – Sydney (New Years Test)
- SCG
- Wednesday January 3 to Saturday January 6
- Some rain caused delays, as well as a broken light meter resulting in a bad light call.
Attendance
The Third Test was attended by 125,292 at an average of 31,323 per day. The peak attendance came on Day 3, with 37,129 attending, while the Day 1 crowd was a record for an SCG Test against Pakistan. The attendance was up on the 122,446 who attended the five days of the test last summer against South Africa.
| Test | Date | Day | Attendance |
| Day 1 | 3/1 | Wednesday | 33,905 |
| Day 2 | 4/1 | Thursday | 30,038 |
| Day 3 | 5/1 | Friday | 37,129 |
| Day 4 | 6/1 | Saturday | 24,220 |
Broadcast
The Total aggregated audience across all sessions, breaks and pregame coverage for the third test was 19 million, with an average audience per session estimated at 898,000 across all platforms. Session 3 on Day 1 appears to have been the most watched with 1.314m average viewers across Seven and Fox.
Seven
Seven’s third Test coverage reached 4.9 million people nationally and had an average daily peak audience of 1.1 million.
The third Test on Seven delivered an average broadcast audience of 644,000 (647,000 – VOZ) and ranked #1 in its timeslots in all people, 25 to 54s and 16 to 39s.
The biggest audience came during the third session on Day 1 with an average audience of 897,000 nationally (VOZ – 932,000) and an audience reach of 1.9 million.
Foxtel
Foxtels average audience was 167,000 for the third test, with 247,000 tuning in to the paytv coverage during Session 3 on Day 1.
Streaming data is not yet available. Estimates based on the first Test show a 70% ratio of streamers to linear viewing on Fox and as a result we estimated the average stream to be around 84,000 per session.
Data: Seven West Media, Oztam subscription TV and Live VPM reports, Virtual OZ, Cricket Australia.
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