Losing enthusiasm for cricket

[jabba]

So the new competition is an add on for Sky to the existing schedule. Basis those guarantees it shouldn't really affect Sussex at all. As the T20 Blast will continue it will be interesting to see these two competitions effectively go head-to-head in attracting fans.

I thought a major factor was meant to be attracting a new audience ie. free-to-view TV?

 

[brakespear]

Been a bit of a disconnect for me with County Cricket ever since it moved to Sky - I try and catch up with radio broadcasts of county games but it's just not the same thing as being able to see a game (any county really, not fussed. Sussex for preference but I'll watch any game of cricket going). Get a bit of T20 on ITV3 and Sky Sports Mix but it's just not anywhere near as satisfying. Cricket is my favourite sport and it just seems a shame to me, much more so than football, that it is locked away on pay TV.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

If the T20 match was on free to view TV, and if I had nothing better to do, I'd still watch it, but I'd no more care about the result of a game between the London Astros and the Manchester Giants, than I would the fortunes of the Bangalore Banshees, the Melbourne Musketeers or the Bridgetown Baraccudas. Why would I? Why would ANYONE?

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

I thought a major factor was meant to be attracting a new audience ie. free-to-view TV?

That would be great. I assumed (perhaps incorrectly) that this whole project was for Sky TV.

 

[Sussexscots]

I thought a major factor was meant to be attracting a new audience ie. free-to-view TV?

Correct and the Australian Big Bash only really took off once the TV coverage was moved from behind a paywall on Fox Sports to Free to Air TV on Channel Ten. The ECB will slaver about attracting new audiences, appealing to a wider fan base and all the other #marketspeakbollocks. But the bottom line is cold hard cash. And no free to air broadcaster will match Sky or BT.

This country is addicted to Football but how many bother with the Champions League now that it's in the subscription boondocks of BT Sport?

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Not been to cricket all that often, mainly the big showcase matches at Hove v international touring teams. But would highly recommend it to any Albion fan who's not yet been. Quite an eye-opener to see how you're openly welcomed as a valued guest of the club and generally treated as a grown-up once you're in the ground.

 

[Zawn Kellys]

I am a SCCC fan but must admit to losing some interest when your own players may or may not be around to play for the team, or be elsewhere in the world playing cricket! Imagine that happening with the Albion!

 

[hans kraay fan club]

I am a SCCC fan but must admit to losing some interest when your own players may or may not be around to play for the team, or be elsewhere in the world playing cricket! Imagine that happening with the Albion!

MASSIVELY agree with this point.

The constant revolving door that is now a County squad - players on contracts for just one form of match - overseas players here for a month, then replaced by another - your own players pissing off to the IPL for the money - players missing for International commitments concurrent with County games - it all makes it VERY hard to identify with them as 'our' players.

 

[Garry Nelson's teacher]

I think there's always a bit of a temptation to put on the rose-tinted glasses but............

When I was a cricket-mad youngster in the 60s and 70s (when I seemed to live at the county ground) I remember feeling that this was a dying sport. I wondered how it would look in 20 or 30 years time and whether it would survive. So now (40-50 years on) when you see a (transformed) Hove reasonably full for a 2nd division game and packed out for a 20/20, England home tests being very well supported (OK particularly Lord's) and even - heaven forbid - can watch the Evil Empire beaming Big Bash and IPL with their amazing crowds and atmosphere into your living room well it's not so bad.

Sure there's some major issues, but I suspect many people don't really grasp just how dire the game was back in the day: empty grounds, 5 day bore draw (bloody hell, there was one in which Boycott batted on all 5 days, I recall) test matches and a pervasive feeling of decline.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

I love cricket but won't be watching the city based 20 over competition. No interest in that.

Indeed. I shall, however, continue to follow the fortunes of Firle C C. It's been going since 1758 and I doubt if it's going to collapse any time soon.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Not been to cricket all that often, mainly the big showcase matches at Hove v international touring teams. But would highly recommend it to any Albion fan who's not yet been. Quite an eye-opener to see how you're openly welcomed as a valued guest of the club and generally treated as a grown-up once you're in the ground.

I remember sitting next to you at what I think was your very first visit to the County Ground. Once I'd explained the offside rule to you, I think you took to the game and it's good to know that you have stuck with it.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Correct and the Australian Big Bash only really took off once the TV coverage was moved from behind a paywall on Fox Sports to Free to Air TV on Channel Ten. The ECB will slaver about attracting new audiences, appealing to a wider fan base and all the other #marketspeakbollocks. But the bottom line is cold hard cash. And no free to air broadcaster will match Sky or BT.

This country is addicted to Football but how many bother with the Champions League now that it's in the subscription boondocks of BT Sport?

People don't watch cricket on the TV because it's on Sky. They subscribe to Sky because it's the only way to watch cricket on TV. Cricket fans actually enjoy sitting in comfort for long periods of time, watching whatever is put in front of them. This generates masses of Sky subscriptions.

If ANY major cricket returned to free-to-air TV, this would compromise Sky's monopoly and they might well pull the plug on all of their funding of the game. Then where would we be?

 

[Sussexscots]

People don't watch cricket on the TV because it's on Sky. They subscribe to Sky because it's the only way to watch cricket on TV. Cricket fans actually enjoy sitting in comfort for long periods of time, watching whatever is put in front of them. This generates masses of Sky subscriptions.

If ANY major cricket returned to free-to-air TV, this would compromise Sky's monopoly and they might well pull the plug on all of their funding of the game. Then where would we be?

But one of the key drivers for the ECB forcing this competition down the throats of the Counties and their members is, so we are told, because there's an untapped audience for cricket that they want to chase - to encourage the next generation of youngsters to be enthused by cricket.

If people are not already interested in cricket, they won't subscribe to SKY just to see the new city based T20. The experience in Australia with Big Bash is that the competition only took off once it was available at prime time on free to air TV. TV and matchgoing audiences then increased.

Further, Sky have lost the rights to cover Big Bash and England Ashes tours in Australia to BT Sport, so their monopoly position is already being eroded. Major sponsors may also be easier to attract if they are going to reach a larger TV audience on Freeview which may soften the blow of reduction in revenue from SKY. Who sponsors England Test Cricket? I'd guess you could ask a hundred people and less than ten could tell you it's Investec - a South African Investment Bank - and they have pulled out early. Probably more could tell you that KFC sponsors the Big Bash. If the ECB is serious about attracting a younger audience, it's sponsorship portfolio needs to move away from Banks and Insurance Companies and bring on board brands that younger people relate to.

I like Sky's coverage of cricket but I don't see this competition taking off without a radically different approach involving Free to air telly, a new sponsorship portfolio and reasonable ticket prices for families.

 

[Bry Nylon]

you're openly welcomed as a valued guest of the club and generally treated as a grown-up once you're in the ground.

That's only because they don't KNOW you yet...

 

[Weststander]

Free to air TV losing all cricket rights has reduced the percentage of the populace who follow cricket. Although never as popular as football, many many millions of sports lovers followed cricket before that, with national heros such as Gower and Botham.

But T20 has saved interest in the game by youngsters at county level. But has this been to the detriment of further loss of interest in the longer forms?

 

[DJ NOBO]

I don't get to many games but I still love listening To it on the BBC and still support Sussex as much as ever.
County cricket will keep tottering along.

 

[Gregory2Smith1]

what I like about cricket is that were called Sussex!

as it should be

 

[Gregory2Smith1]

such a shame what's happened to cricket

the one day finals at Lords were almost like the cup final at wembley

one division so you played every county

even the sunday league was a good watch

 

[jakarta]

Don't get me started on what the ECB are doing / have done to County Cricket. Just as I'm getting towards retirement age and the prospect of watching loads of First Class cricket it is going to collapse in a heap and all we will have to watch will be the children's version of the game.

 

[ThePompousPaladin]

For quite a while now my love of cricket has been limited to the international game.

Same, county cricket has barely been at the levels of professional sport for some years.