Australian Big Bash cricket helps Network Ten smash ratings

Australian channel Network Ten's 100 million-dollar bet on the Big Bash League has paid off, with million-plus audiences for the first games setting up a strong platform to promote its 2014 programs, according to reports.

According to The Daily Telegraph, while the high-profile Melbourne and Sydney derbies at the weekend both attracted audiences of 1.1 million, the Brisbane versus Perth match on Sunday also managed to pull more than 950,000 viewers.

Ten chief executive Hamish McLennan said that he expected the ratings to build even further as the series gathers momentum leading into the February 7 final at the start of the 2014 ratings season, the report added.

Ten insiders said last week they would be content to attract audiences of about 550,000, building up to 750,000 towards the finals, the report mentioned.

The Big Bash leads into Ten's coverage of the Winter Olympics in Sochi, from February 7, which Mr McLennan picked up for only 7 million dollars, the report said.

Ten has also picked up the free-to-air broadcast rights for V8 Supercars from 2015 and Olympic bosses expect the network will bid strongly for the Rio de Janeiro 2016 and the Tokyo 2020 Games when rights are negotiated next year, the report further said.