The Big Bash League has announced the competition will expand, with an additional eight matches to be played next season.
The regular season of the competition will increase from 32 matches to 40 matches with two extra rounds of competitions.
Each team will play 10 regular season games, rather than the eight played this season.
“We’re always looking at opportunities to grow the game and expand our fan base beyond traditional markets and demographics," Head of the Big Bash, Anthony Everard, said.
“The scheduling of the additional eight matches in a manner that complements the existing regular season fixture is aimed at encouraging more people to pick up a bat and ball and give cricket a go.
“This expansion is designed to drive Cricket Australia’s strategy to ultimately continue to be Australia’s favourite sport and a sport for all Australians.
“We haven’t yet finalised the locations of these additional matches yet, but we are working closely with clubs to explore options. A state-by-state approach will be taken to determine the most appropriate location to host this additional fixture, taking into account aspects including existing contractual obligations, participation and fan growth opportunities, and venue infrastructure.
“The opportunity to expand matches into non-traditional markets is not just limited to the men’s game. We are working to see how we can also schedule Women’s Big Bash League matches in these new venues, once they are finalised.”
However, Everard confirmed there are no plans to introduce additional teams at this stage.
“At present, there are no plans to increase the number of teams in the League in the immediate future, but we remain open minded about future expansion plans,” he added.
