![Chris Green hopes a shorter season will encourage fans to return to BBL games. Picture by Sitthixay Ditthavong Chris Green hopes a shorter season will encourage fans to return to BBL games. Picture by Sitthixay Ditthavong](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/36vwtM5n3dmMVgNPycRBEHz/9e253b7a-4d07-43af-91a5-17c398ad542b.jpg/r0_320_4000_2578_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Sydney Thunder star Chris Green hopes the decision to slash the length of the Big Bash can spark a crowd resurgence as the tournament prepares for a major facelift.
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Cricket Australia could downsize the BBL season from 61 games to 43 as soon as next season, a year before a new broadcast deal with Seven and Foxtel actually begins.
The game's new seven-year broadcast deal worth $1.512 billion begins in 2024, with a year to run on a six-year deal signed in 2018 - but plans are afoot to try to rejuvenate BBL crowds even sooner.
Plans for a shortened Twenty20 competition are driven by increased player availability, primetime television slots and better alignment with school holidays to arrest a sharp decline in BBL crowd figures.
An average of 30,114 attended matches during a 35-game tournament in 2016-17, but figures dropped as the season grew longer with 18,575 the mark for the first 61-game edition of the BBL in 2019-20.
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That number has fallen to 7766 and 6763 over the past two seasons, but the COVID-19 pandemic meant teams had their backs to the wall with crowd restrictions, closed venues and neutral grounds.
The pub test suggests interest in the BBL has lifted so far this season, and Green hopes that trend continues when the competition is overhauled.
"If I go back to BBL07 when we were last at 10 games, you'd have two derbies and two other fixtures that would rotate around. Those derby games are really important," Green said.
"You saw 40,000 at the MCG [this week], and possibly, you'd get more with the shorter season because you've got less home games and less opportunities to go and see your team. Hopefully we see strong showings from the crowds. With that deal, everyone in the game seems to benefit.
"In professional sport you have a limited lifespan where you don't know what could happen or how long you can go for. Four extra games of professional cricket to showcase what we do at some of the best grounds in Australia and the world is privilege, so personally, I always liked the extra games.
Hopefully we see strong showings from the crowds. With that deal, everyone in the game seems to benefit.
- Chris Green's take on a shorter BBL season
"At the same time, I know the hard stress it can put on local fans in asking them to come to seven home games, particularly in a shorter space of time around Christmas.
"Now with potentially four or five home games moving forward, the likelihood to see more of the top players playing in this tournament, both locally and internationally, there can be a lot of positive factors if they get it right."
Green's Thunder will host the in-form Sydney Sixers in a crucial derby clash at the Sydney Showground on Sunday night, with both sides pushing for a top-two finish.
The day will open with a celebrity bash headlined by the likes of Bradley Clyde, Caitlin Bassett, George Kambosos and Dominic Perrottet before the two Sydney sides go head-to-head in what promises to be one of the games of the tournament.
"Everyone will have their eyes set on a top two finish because you get that second chance, and a chance at a home final which is crucial. In tournament cricket, if you get a second bite of the cherry or the opportunity to go straight through to the final, that's where you want to be.
"We're playing really good cricket, so are the Sixers. There's plenty to look forward to from a playing point of view and a fan point of view.
"Both teams are doing pretty well in this tournament and you'd hope to think there will be a good crowd and a good atmosphere on Sunday.
"They're usually good crowds, good atmosphere. You're playing against a lot of the guys you train and play with year round with two NSW-based teams. They're pretty easy ones to get up for."
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