Hobart Hurricanes will play at UTAS Stadium this summer for the first time since 2023
Hobart Hurricanes have confirmed their men’s team will play in Launceston this summer for the first time in three seasons.
The Hurricanes will return to the northern Tasmanian city in KFC BBL|16 after three-year absence in part due to renovations at UTAS Stadium.
The venue had been a regular Big Bash fixture up until BBL|13, hosting 11 games across seven seasons between 2017 and 2023.
The Hurricanes recent BBL record in Launceston is strong, winning two of their past three matches there after losing six of their first seven.
The date and their opponent for the UTAS Stadium match will be revealed when the full BBL|16 schedule is announced next week.
“The average crowd at Ninja Stadium is 10,000 and we expect the north can out do that,” Dominic Baker, Cricket Tasmania CEO, said.
“We are excited to be back in the north of the state for BBL|16. We will be bringing the full show to town, and we want to see cricket and sports fans turn out in their thousands to prove that we should continue to prioritise a game here every year.”
The Hurricanes will host several community events in the state’s north in the lead up to BBL|16 to help build anticipation for their return to UTAS Stadium.
The ‘Canes lost their last game in Launceston in December 2023 to Sydney Sixers, with English import Tom Curran taking three wickets on a day that also saw him banned for four matches after being found guilty of intimidating an umpire during his warm-up.
Upgraded sections of the venue’s Western Stand were opened for the first time last Saturday for the Australian rules football match between Hawthorn and Melbourne, delivering an extra 900 seats for fans.
Once the $130 million redevelopment is completed late next year, which also includes new eastern and centre-west stands as well as new floodlights, UTAS Stadium’s capacity will increase to 17,500, up from around 15,600 prior to the works.
“We’re delighted to welcome Cricket Tasmania and the Big Bash League back to UTAS Stadium, bringing elite cricket to fans in northern Tasmania and reinforcing the venue’s reputation as a destination for major sporting and entertainment events,” added James Avery, Stadiums Tasmania CEO.
