[Cricket] Franchise T20

[8ace]

Would you bother to go to the Toilet Bowl or The Hovel to watch? I wouldn't as I support Sussex not Pants or Slurrey.

Sussex would be willing to consider the possibility of a Twenty20 franchise tournament.

The success of the Big Bash League in Australia has reignited interest in launching a similar city-based competition in England.

New ECB chief executive Colin Graves has made revamping domestic Twenty20 cricket one of his top priorities since taking over from Giles Clarke.

A tournament featuring ten teams playing at Test grounds has been mooted with all 18 first class counties sharing the profits evenly.

It would mean there would be no Twenty20 games played at Hove with cricket fans in Sussex having to travel to either the Ageas Bowl or the Oval too see live action.

Derbyshire chairman Chris Grant has come out in favour of a franchise-based tournament saying “it is absolutely crucial if we want to get more people into the game”.

Sussex chief executive Zac Toumazi is open-minded about exploring the benefits of such a move but insists there are plenty of obstacles that would need to be cleared before it became a reality.

Toumazi said: “We have got an open mind to it providing the distribution is fair.

“It is something that has been talked about for years. I remember when I was at Surrey there was an interesting paper on it but the press got hold of it which scuppered it before there was any real research.

“I think franchises are worthy of a healthy debate and I hope that when the chief executives next meet it is something that is put on the agenda.

“What we need is to get some real data to see whether it would work for everybody but it is something we definitely need to have a thorough review of.

“Until it has been tried it is something that will always be talked about but I think there is enough head of steam worked up for us to have a good look at it now.

“The question is would it work for us? There could potentially be winners and losers so we need to make sure it is fair to everyone.

“The trouble is we have got 18 first class counties and they will all have slightly different views on it.

“ I can’t even get my family of eight to agree what they want for dinner!”

The ECB only relaunched the domestic Twenty20 competition last year after undertaking extensive market research. Sussex were against the move to play the majority of their games in the NatWest T20 Blast on Friday nights spread over the summer rather than in a three-week block.

Crowds at Hove have traditionally been strong for Twenty20 games and attendances were slightly up in 2014 on the previous year.

Toumazi added: “First of all we should all get behind the current format and see what this season brings. We’ve only had one year of a three-year plan so it seems a bit premature to be judging it already.

“My worry with going down the franchise route is that would people be willing to travel to the Ageas Bowl to watch a game, especially considering the A27 is not a great road?

“And if there are only ten teams rather than 18 what do the players who are not involved for those three weeks do? These are all things that need to be discussed in detail before we can decide whether a franchise would work in this country.”

 

[spring hall convert]

I don't like the idea of breaking the country structure but if we want to compete with the IPL and Big Bash, it has to be done.

If we're not interested in competing with those tournaments, leave it how it is.

Personally I'm in a funny position, selfishly, I hate the idea (Brighton would be unlikely to get a Franchise wouldn't it?) but it's probably for the best. They can work reimbursing the counties out, I'm sure.

 

[Hotchilidog]

Why would any Sussex fan want to watch the London Lions or Southampton Squids or whatever they would call these franchises. A complete non starter for me.

Whilst I can see T20 as a necessary evil for counties to raise revenue, I hate what it has done to the game, both in terms of disruption to the fixtures and in terms of the quality of play required to be successful in the game. There is nothing more dispiriting for me to see the rise of the dibby dobber bowler trying to bowl as slowly and blandly as possible whilst batsmen eschew proper technique for slogging.

 

[Brovion]

No. Or rather, I'd be in favour of franchises so long as either a) there were 18 of them or b) Sussex had one called the Sussex Sharks. I have zero interest in joining with Hampshire and supporting a team called something like 'South Coast Sabres'.

I suppose if they're going to divvy the money up they can get on without me (and others like me) and we'll just take the cash. Be a pity though as I like watching T20 at Hove.

 

[Brovion]

I don't like the idea of breaking the country structure but if we want to compete with the IPL and Big Bash, it has to be done.

If we're not interested in competing with those tournaments, leave it how it is.

Personally I'm in a funny position, selfishly, I hate the idea (Brighton would be unlikely to get a Franchise wouldn't it?) but it's probably for the best. They can work reimbursing the counties out, I'm sure.

Why do we need to compete with the IPL or the Big Bash?

 

[spring hall convert]

Why do we need to compete with the IPL or the Big Bash?

Personally, I don't think we do.

Somehow I don't think that will be the ECB's position though.

 

[Brovion]

Personally, I don't think we do.

Somehow I don't think that will be the ECB's position though.

EDIT: Ignore. Replied before you edited

 

[spring hall convert]

English cricket - the same people I assume you meant when you said 'we.'

I think you've mistaken me for a 20/20 fan. I'm more you're old fashioned 2 men and a dog county championship man. So what I personally want the 20/20 tournament to be, probably isn't for the best.

 

[Brovion]

English cricket - the same people I assume you meant when you said 'we.'

I think you've mistaken me for a 20/20 fan. I'm more you're old fashioned 2 men and a dog county championship man. So what I personally want the 20/20 tournament to be, probably isn't for the best.

And we're back ....

Ok, I don't think 'English Cricket' does need to compete with the IPL or the Big Bash. We still get the top players over here and the ECB seem to think that if they concentrate them in a few big teams that will be 'better' and 'more exciting'. I disagree and feel left out, but if you don't like T20 then I accept that the argument doesn't really worry you.

 

[Simster]

I don't see how franchise cricket could work. Clearly, if Sussex & Hants joined forces, most Sussex fans won't make the trek to Southampton, so what's the point? Same for Essex and Kent or whatever.

It's not like reducing the number of teams/interested spectators is going to benefit anyone as far as I can see?

 

[spring hall convert]

And we're back ....

Ok, I don't think 'English Cricket' does need to compete with the IPL or the Big Bash. We still get the top players over here and the ECB seem to think that if they concentrate them in a few big teams that will be 'better' and 'more exciting'. I disagree and feel left out, but if you don't like T20 then I accept that the argument doesn't really worry you.

Whichever way you cut it 20/20 is about bums on seats and cash. I suspect a franchise system will generate more of that, particuarly if they could get tie in's with football clubs.

But as you say, it's not really my argument to have.

 

[In The Rough]

Am I going to get excited watching the South Coast Chargers or similarly other wanky name that it will be given. No. Am I going to travel to Southampton to watch it? No. Will it be able to compete with the big bash or IPL in terms of numbers? No.

Will the ECB press ahead with this ****ing abysmal idea? Of course they will. ****ing Incompetent tossers. Couldn't run a bath. Would rather have Blatter in charge. Actually I quite like the idea of a cricketing world somewhere odd like France or Brazil.

 

[Left Footer]

No I wouldn`t.

 

[sten_super]

It depends what the idea is. If it's to have a competition to rival the IPL or BB, then yes, it's essential. Fewer teams would mean fewer matches, and they could be played in one go rather than every week. Doing this would also make it more likely to attract the best overseas players (which clearly isn't the case at the moment), while one assumes that the England players would also be made available. It also has the potential benefit of allowing the England players to play more high-quality T20, whereas at the moment as soon as they are picked for England they more or less never play domestic T20.

The ECB will go for it because this is the way to generate the most money.

 

[Guinness Boy]

What an absolutely horrible idea. My son's just at the point where he's really enjoying the Albion. 20/20 is the natural way to break him in as a cricket fan. No one from round here is going to support a Southampton based side.

 

[Mackenzie]

No frigging way. I hate Hampshire and Surrey nearly as much as palace.

 

[Carrot Cruncher]

Absolutely pointless trying to compete with the IPL and BBL terms of trying to get bums on seats and milking the cash cow.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cricket_grounds_by_capacity

There are 20 Indian grounds and 6 Autralian ones until you hit Lords in that list (an, err, 'impressive' joint 38th...). You then have Edgbaston and the Toilet Bowl at joint 45th.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

It could only really work if the South Coast Cloggers, or whatever they are called, played at least some of their matches at Hove. Surely no need for them all to be at Southampton or the Oval.

 

[Uncle Buck]

What an absolutely horrible idea. My son's just at the point where he's really enjoying the Albion. 20/20 is the natural way to break him in as a cricket fan. No one from round here is going to support a Southampton based side.

Just have to go to down the alternative route of bringing him to a 4 day game. There he can watch us start the day with a coffee, high brow chat and the intention not to drink until after lunch.

Then at midday, somebody will fancy a pint, everyone else will agree.

Then the whole thing slips into stupidity. By tea the chance of speaking has gone, followed by a pub crawl round Hove, Golden Grill and passing out.

All meet the next day, but rather than high brow conversations, there is a collective moan about hangovers and one person questioning why there was a stake board in their flat that morning.

 

[Peter Grummit]

Horrendous plan.

For a start, SCCC is a members' club and would have to consult its members about whether they were in favour. Half the members hate T20 and don't go. The other half go to Hove and enjoy it (including me). Neither group is likely to be in favour.

Second, look at the maths. How is concentrating it in 10 grounds rather than 18 going to increase income? By each team playing more matches. So it takes over more of the cricketing calendar, which is already stuffed to the gills. So the 50 over competition will be dropped. Or the County Championship (the breeding ground for Test players) messed about. The CC 1st division actually works really well, produces some great cricket and higher standard of players.

Third, I am not convinced more people would go along anyway. There would no doubt be 2 teams in London at the Oval and Lords. They already attract very healthy gates for the existing T20. Ditto Yorkshire and Lancashire. Warwickshire are already called the Birmingham Bears, it will make no difference. Presume the others would be Hants, Glamorgan, Gloucs (Bristol), Durham and Nottingham. Would Derby fans go to Nottingham? Northamptonshire fans to Birmingham? Essex to Lords? Kent to The Oval? Can't see what more it would offer. For example, the 7 x 4-5k gates at Hove would be lost. Call it 30k crowd. x 8 counties who miss out, roughly 250,000 spectators lost.


So what is it really about? TV money ie Sky and better marketing opportunities. And more money for overseas mercenaries and a few English players.

Still in favour?

PG