[Cricket] The great Sussex CCC exodus

[keaton]

How many of us are guilty of complaining about the demise of long form cricket, while not actually paying to go and see it ?
There are too many armchair County cricket fans.

I see your point but I go to less county cricket because the ECB have been pissing around with the fixtures for the last 5-6 years to seemingly make it as unattractive as possible to go to a game. Half the fixtures at the time of year when rains likely or it'll be freezing, only one game over the summer holidays, very few Friday or Saturdays

 

[Papa Lazarou]

I see your point but I go to less county cricket because the ECB have been pissing around with the fixtures for the last 5-6 years to seemingly make it as unattractive as possible to go to a game. Half the fixtures at the time of year when rains likely or it'll be freezing, only one game over the summer holidays, very few Friday or Saturdays

That's been the killer, almost zero weekend county cricket.

 

[albionalex]

How many of us are guilty of complaining about the demise of long form cricket, while not actually paying to go and see it ?
There are too many armchair County cricket fans.

With games played during the week, it's very difficult.

 

[Gwylan]

I see your point but I go to less county cricket because the ECB have been pissing around with the fixtures for the last 5-6 years to seemingly make it as unattractive as possible to go to a game. Half the fixtures at the time of year when rains likely or it'll be freezing, only one game over the summer holidays, very few Friday or Saturdays

I go occasionally but the lack of games at the weekend make it hard. A few years back, I looked to take my son to a match in the summer hols and there was literally no CC game at Hove in August.

When I was a kid, I spent a huge part of my summer at the county ground. I'd leave the house at 10 in the morning and be back by 7. My mum knew where I was and there was no moaning about having nothing to do - it was bliss. Kids just don't have that now

Mind you, Sussex were terrible in those days

 

[DJ NOBO]

I see your point but I go to less county cricket because the ECB have been pissing around with the fixtures for the last 5-6 years to seemingly make it as unattractive as possible to go to a game. Half the fixtures at the time of year when rains likely or it'll be freezing, only one game over the summer holidays, very few Friday or Saturdays

Yeah, can’t argue with that. The ECB have made a mess of county cricket, especially long form. I don’t think the hundred is the answer.

 

[DJ NOBO]

I go occasionally but the lack of games at the weekend make it hard. A few years back, I looked to take my son to a match in the summer hols and there was literally no CC game at Hove in August.

When I was a kid, I spent a huge part of my summer at the county ground. I'd leave the house at 10 in the morning and be back by 7. My mum knew where I was and there was no moaning about having nothing to do - it was bliss. Kids just don't have that now

Mind you, Sussex were terrible in those days

Good times. In the late 80s / early 90s A group of us kids were there For ever home game. Great fun sneaking past the stewards and getting into the members area. Then passing autograph books up to the players balcony. I’ve still got all my autograph books. The highlight being Clive Lloyd, Graeme Hick and Sunil Gavaskar on one page. Rest of the World game at Arundel, in, I think, 1987.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

I used to go to Hove at least a couple of days a season for County cricket, but not recenty.

 

[amexer]

How many of us are guilty of complaining about the demise of long form cricket, while not actually paying to go and see it ?
There are too many armchair County cricket fans.

Very happy to pay to watch professional sport including Sussex. Reluctantly gave up my membership because standard was getting lower and lower. Not long ago was out there at every possible moment watching Prior,Goodwin,Mustaq,Adams,Martin-Jenkins etc and many others. Sorry many playing now are not much better standard then good club players. Also if a good player like Archer comes thru you never see them again. No interest from anybody to promote 4 day game. Before you say no interest I refuse to believe in a City like Brighton/Hove with a little marketing couldnt attract 2k plus to attend. Doesnt help of course games are played in April,May and Sept. Thats why it is dying not because no interest

 

[keaton]

I go occasionally but the lack of games at the weekend make it hard. A few years back, I looked to take my son to a match in the summer hols and there was literally no CC game at Hove in August.

When I was a kid, I spent a huge part of my summer at the county ground. I'd leave the house at 10 in the morning and be back by 7. My mum knew where I was and there was no moaning about having nothing to do - it was bliss. Kids just don't have that now

Mind you, Sussex were terrible in those days

A CC game on a Saturday is perfect. You would also a couple of times a year get a lot of fans at the cold September games going there for a few hours and beers before heading to Withdrawn or Amex.

The ECB are trying to get kids involved then schedule t20 over the holidays. A time when I think most parents would think a CC game for £20-30 for the lot where the kids can be entertained and yet run around and you can bring a picnic sounds tempting . Rather than £ 60-100 and being surrounded by drunk people and a late finish at the 20/20

 

[Pudos]

The lack of weekend county games was frequently brought up at Sussex members meetings and on other forums etc. There was a small increase more recently in weekend CCC games, but feedback from counties was always that Saturday was often a lower crowd than mid-week. Found that odd but even looking at my membership worked out I was more likely to go mid week, something always cropped up on Saturday - or I was playing. Its tragic but I just can't see how the County game will survive long, or even mid term.
Even when a County wins the Championship BBC sport put a pic halfway down their site front page, just underneath sailing news.
Used to love the mid afternoon snooze in the sun at the ground, with the worrying 'did I snore' when i woke up

 

[amexer]

They say they now are watching every penny. How is that still going to employ overseas players next season

 

[Papa Lazarou]

They say they now are watching every penny. How is that still going to employ overseas players next season

Probably because T20 is the only revenue stream left, and who's going to come and watch a team with no 'stars' against strong opposition, getting spanked every week.

 

[Lenny Rider]

When I went to Oz, I was amazed at how marginalised their 'Sheffield Shield' competition had become, talking to people in Perth they really couldn't care if Western Australia did anything in the competition, no one really went, it was all about the Big Bash and international cricket.

Sadly I can see the once Blue Riband County Championship almost becoming as relevant a the Carabo Cup.

 

[Moshe Gariani]

When I went to Oz, I was amazed at how marginalised their 'Sheffield Shield' competition had become, talking to people in Perth they really couldn't care if Western Australia did anything in the competition, no one really went, it was all about the Big Bash and international cricket.

Sadly I can see the once Blue Riband County Championship almost becoming as relevant a the Carabo Cup.

Yes. Very strange experience to be at the SCG for NSW v VIC - watching multiple international great players - in the company of one man and his kangaroo...

 

[Gwylan]

The strange thing is that test cricket in England and Australia is still massively popular. But we're not going to build test teams by playing lots of T20

 

[BNthree]

I used to go to Hove at least a couple of days a season for County cricket, but not recenty.

If you had gone recently presumably security would have chased you out.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

If you had gone recently presumably security would have chased you out.

This year, yes

 

[Luke93]

How many of us are guilty of complaining about the demise of long form cricket, while not actually paying to go and see it ?
There are too many armchair County cricket fans.

Sadly this is the case for many. Games played midweek. Other than the odd evening session (when it was walk in) I haven’t been to County Championship games. This season oddly enough has been most cricket I’ve ever watched live.

 

[Terry Butcher Tribute Act]

The lack of weekend county games was frequently brought up at Sussex members meetings and on other forums etc. There was a small increase more recently in weekend CCC games, but feedback from counties was always that Saturday was often a lower crowd than mid-week. Found that odd but even looking at my membership worked out I was more likely to go mid week, something always cropped up on Saturday - or I was playing. Its tragic but I just can't see how the County game will survive long, or even mid term.
Even when a County wins the Championship BBC sport put a pic halfway down their site front page, just underneath sailing news.
Used to love the mid afternoon snooze in the sun at the ground, with the worrying 'did I snore' when i woke up

A lot of people who would go are playing T the weekend

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

That's been the killer, almost zero weekend county cricket.

They switched ages ago to catch the corporate money - if you can get tent full of people drinking someone else's money and paying over the odds for average food, then it looks good on the books.

What they didn't consider is how many future fans they will lose when parents can't take their kids along to watch cricket and whole generation of fans is lost.