Australia's two-day Ashes Test win to leave Cricket Australia millions short of expected revenue
Perth Stadium was packed to see Australia's dramatic two-day Test win, but the extremely early finish will cost Cricket Australia in lost ticket sales. (Getty Images: CA/Paul Kane)
In short:
Australia's stunning Perth Test win has set up the Ashes series for the home side, but the two-day finish will be costly for Cricket Australia.
Foregone ticket sales for days three and four at Perth Stadium means Cricket Australia are facing an estimated loss of more than $3 million.
What's next?
The second Ashes Test is a day-night game at the Gabba, beginning on December 4.
Just weeks after forecasting a record year ahead, Cricket Australia (CA) is facing a multi-million-dollar drain after the rapid-fire two-day Ashes opener.
A combination of Travis Head's all-time Ashes knock and Bazball's cavalier approach to batting led to the first game of the blockbuster series in Perth ending late on day two.
CA is headed for an estimated loss of more than $3 million from ticket revenue for days three and four.
A record 101,514 attended the Test — 51,531 on Friday, then 49,983 — to surpass the record set of 96,463 in Perth last year when India won in four days.
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Day three was also almost sold out.
Speaking before play on Saturday, when Australia's first innings hadn't even finished, CA chief executive Todd Green half-joked he was worried about the Test not making it to day three.
"It's difficult for a number of different groups," Greenberg told SEN when discussing the financial impact of a match finishing early.
"Our broadcasters first of all.
"Certainly us, on ticket sales and our partners and sponsors.
"There's a big economic impact on this series."
Thousands of England fans had bought tickets for the third day of the first Ashes Test in Perth. (AAP: Dave Hunt)
At the annual general meeting last month, CA announced a loss of $11.3 million and took strong criticism from Cricket Victoria chair Ross Hepburn for the financial performance.
The loss took in a summer that included a five-Test tour from goliath India.
"In a normal scheduling, you'd have the white-ball cricket as part of that [Test] tour, but that's being played in this financial year," CA chair Mike Baird said after the meeting in October.
"If they were in the same financial year, you would have seen a different position.
"We're in a position where it's a significant uplift, an over-$20 million improvement.
Loading..."Hang on to your hats because next year we are going to have a record year in cricket.
"You're going to see the most attendance, the most viewership, the most sponsorship."
Foxtel said their broadcast on Friday was the most-watched first day of a first Test in its history
The Seven Network also reported strong ratings for coverage on day one.
AAP