MCG, SCG Miss Out on WBBL Season as Stadium Series Put on Hold

By Mehr Jan

Cricket Australia has confirmed that the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) and Sydney Cricket Ground will not host any regular-season Women’s Big Bash League matches this year, shelving its high-profile Stadium Series due to a packed schedule. 

However, the MCG remains in contention to host the final if a Melbourne side earns the right, with the decider scheduled for prime time on December 13.

The upcoming WBBL season will run in a compressed 35-day window from November 9 to December 13. The tight schedule is designed to fit between the Women’s ODI World Cup in India and the men’s Big Bash League, which begins the following day.

Overall, ten double-headers are planned, but only one will be held at a major international stadium. Adelaide Oval will host two matches on November 28, marking the Stadium Series’ sole survivor this season.

Tight Calendar Forces Venue Shift

Last year, the WBBL made a statement by taking games to big venues—including three at the MCG, two at the SCG, and one at the Gabba—highlighting the league’s growth. 

This season, though, logistical constraints have forced a retreat. Big Bash League general manager Alistair Dobson said the crowded calendar left no room to properly stage more high-profile stadium events.

“Each season when we look at the schedule, we are always looking for the balance of the right venues and the right opportunity to promote those games,” Dobson said. “The other games, largely due to scheduling reasons and needing to optimise those games in those big stadiums, we haven't found the right slot for them this year. That's not to say we won't be back there in the future.”

Despite the pared-down approach, there remains a realistic scenario where the MCG stages the WBBL final. Junction Oval—Melbourne’s typical WBBL venue—will not have lighting ready in time for the Saturday night final. That leaves the MCG as the logical Melbourne option if either local team secures hosting rights.

Other venues with adequate lighting include North Sydney Oval, Allan Border Field and the WACA, while the SCG, Gabba and Perth Stadium are seen as unlikely choices for the final. Adelaide Oval will be off-limits on December 13 due to preparations for the men's Ashes Test starting four days later, though Karen Rolton Oval offers an Adelaide alternative with proper lighting.

Complicating matters further, clubs have raised concerns about having to host games at neutral venues to reduce broadcast logistics. 

For instance, the Melbourne Stars and Perth Scorchers will meet in Adelaide just two days before the Strikers and Scorchers play in Melbourne. The demands of broadcasters Channel Seven and Foxtel to limit equipment movement across a packed, travel-heavy season forced Cricket Australia to make tough scheduling compromises.