ECB admits the 16.4 has brought no new fans

[The Breen Machine]

Yeah the debate should be about how international cricket remains relevant and the most important game.

Problem is we have seen in South Africa and West Indies how international cricket has lost some importance and The Hundred can’t be blamed for that, it was happening well before, we need to make sure international cricket is more important than any other game.

At the same time though accepting the inevitably that we were always going to have a major 100 ball/120 ball showcase tournament in a window like every other country.

The powers of be need to accept that but at the same time protect the importance of international cricket.

Too much time and energy been wasted imo discussion after discussion when it was absolutely inevitable a showcase tournament featuring 8/10 teams in this country was going to happen.

It’s best debating discussing how other things fit round this window because it’s not going away anytime soon despite any wishes of some on this board

The elephant in the room conveniently ignored by the boards of England, Australia and India is the disproportionate distribution of the wealth within the game. How can countries like West Indies, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and even South Africa continue to host regular, meaningful test match cricket when they can't afford to and the ICC don't evenly split income to support these countries in doing so?

Test match crowds in these countries have dropped off but you don't have to recall far back to know that this wasn't always the case, particularly in WI and SA. There is more at play than that of course, the Windies have been a poor test match team for years and interest has waned, but some of that distribution of wealth can go towards improvement of their grass roots facilities, domestic game whilst also giving them opportunities to host strong test playing nations in test matches. SA have just won the World Test Championship and now barely play a test match for a year. Interest in the shorter form of the game is a definite contributing factor but at the moment it is not viable for certain countries to risk losing money hosting tests. Take that problem away and you at least have a chance of crowds gathering and interest generating which will protect the long-term future of test cricket.

 

[Voice of fair play]

The elephant in the room conveniently ignored by the boards of England, Australia and India is the disproportionate distribution of the wealth within the game. How can countries like West Indies, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and even South Africa continue to host regular, meaningful test match cricket when they can't afford to and the ICC don't evenly split income to support these countries in doing so?

Test match crowds in these countries have dropped off but you don't have to recall far back to know that this wasn't always the case, particularly in WI and SA. There is more at play than that of course, the Windies have been a poor test match team for years and interest has waned, but some of that distribution of wealth can go towards improvement of their grass roots facilities, domestic game whilst also giving them opportunities to host strong test playing nations in test matches. SA have just won the World Test Championship and now barely play a test match for a year. Interest in the shorter form of the game is a definite contributing factor but at the moment it is not viable for certain countries to risk losing money hosting tests. Take that problem away and you at least have a chance of crowds gathering and interest generating which will protect the long-term future of test cricket.

I think you have to look at those countries particularly South Africa who were practically desperate for the finances the SA20 gave them, so much soo in the first season of it, they sent a second team to tour New Zealand for a test series.

That can’t be right!

ICC need to find a way to support these countries better.

But you never going to take away the SA20 and the CPL as it generates too much money.

Also despite people continually knocking short format cricket it obviously attracts the fans in numbers it’s clear as day.

So once again it’s about accepting short format cricket been both very popular and lucrative but getting the balance right between them competitions and international cricket.

International cricket has to be number one and the ICC need to do more to make sure it gets there.

 

[Sillypoint]

They should have looked at Cardiff/Glamorgan/Wales beforehand instead of creating a team in one cricket’s least supported areas.

And don’t get me started on awarding them the 2009 Ashes

they were always going to pander to the "and Wales" part of the ECB

 

[Provider]

Yeah the debate should be about how international cricket remains relevant and the most important game.

Problem is we have seen in South Africa and West Indies how international cricket has lost some importance and The Hundred can’t be blamed for that, it was happening well before, we need to make sure international cricket is more important than any other game.

At the same time though accepting the inevitably that we were always going to have a major 100 ball/120 ball showcase tournament in a window like every other country.

The powers of be need to accept that but at the same time protect the importance of international cricket.

Too much time and energy been wasted imo discussion after discussion when it was absolutely inevitable a showcase tournament featuring 8/10 teams in this country was going to happen.

It’s best debating discussing how other things fit round this window because it’s not going away anytime soon despite any wishes of some on this board

It absolutely was not inevitable that a brand new competition ostracising large parts of the cricket loving population in the country playing a format of the game nobody else plays now controlled by people who do not have English cricket at heart being played at the height of summer meaning no other meaningful cricket could be played at that time was going to happen.

The Hundred or whatever is becomes should never be accepted by anyone who has English domestic cricket at heart IMO. And I say that as someone who enjoys white and red ball cricket equally.

 

[Voice of fair play]

It absolutely was not inevitable that a brand new competition ostracising large parts of the cricket loving population in the country playing a format of the game nobody else plays now controlled by people who do not have English cricket at heart being played at the height of summer meaning no other meaningful cricket could be played at that time was going to happen.

The Hundred or whatever is becomes should never be accepted by anyone who has English domestic cricket at heart IMO. And I say that as someone who enjoys white and red ball cricket equally.

Like I say mate it’s a discussion that has been gone over.

Respect your point of view although see it differently.

It’s here it’s happening too much money and investment has been put into it.

The discussion imo needs to more on to protect international cricket while accepting this not going anywhere because it isn’t

I am hoping similar to what has happened in the IPL that a thriving high profile domestic competition gets more people playing the game develops more depth and more quality.

Indian international teams now have more depth than ever young players have come through the IPL and enhancing their national team for the better.

I hope that happens with England

 

[Sillypoint]

we cant have our cake and eat it either, we cant have a 2 comps at the same time with the best players in it, the hundred will reach more fans over a month at 8 venues than 25 days of test cricket at 5 will.

and we cant go back to the well we had 18 venues, as it just doesnt work to make one tournament that tv companies want to broadcast, and broadcast money is king really

 

[Good Teeth Keith]

Went to a game at Headingly this weekend and it was fantastic.

Everyone really got into it, loads of Northern Superchargers shirts and hats on. Think it’s taking off.

 

[Provider]

we cant have our cake and eat it either, we cant have a 2 comps at the same time with the best players in it, the hundred will reach more fans over a month at 8 venues than 25 days of test cricket at 5 will.

and we cant go back to the well we had 18 venues, as it just doesnt work to make one tournament that tv companies want to broadcast, and broadcast money is king really

Why does the number of venues matter to TV companies?

It would have been absolutely possible to make a successful, marketable product from the Blast but they never really tried.

And since when did The Hundred have the best players in it?

 

[Sillypoint]

Why does the number of venues matter to TV companies?

2 different points really and youve combines the 2, it reaches more fans for the live product, Tv companies want a concise comp they can show every game of in a short period, that doesnt happen with 18 teams

It would have been absolutely possible to make a successful, marketable product from the Blast but they never really tried.

again doesnt fit in the short month long window

And since when did The Hundred have the best players in it?

well this year pretty much every England Player from white and red ball teams was in it, are they not the best? l

And if not the best we have to offer, how does diluting the product from 8 teams into 18 give us any better cricket

 

[Voice of fair play]

2 different points really and youve combines the 2, it reaches more fans for the live product, Tv companies want a concise comp they can show every game of in a short period, that doesnt happen with 18 teams

again doesnt fit in the short month long window

well this year pretty much every England Player from white and red ball teams was in it, are they not the best? l

And if not the best we have to offer, how does diluting the product from 8 teams into 18 give us any better cricket

The investment of it recently will also bring better quality players from abroad as well.

Thus meaning we could have the worlds best short format cricketers along with the best of England.

I find that a good watch, the best players in the world putting their wits against each other.

Tbf the hundred has failed up to this point to bring all the good players in this format together, but that is going to get better in future years imo.

 

[SAFC11]

There's too much short format cricket now. Dont mind watching it and it's certainly easy watching in the background as well but the market is way too saturated by it. Don't like the whole franchise idea and never have. Same as multiclub ownership in football.
For me 50 over is a much better game to watch, allowing for a bit more ebb and flow with more elements of the game on show. But that's just me, I think its indicative of lower attention spans in younger people these days but also the fact 20/20 is easier to attend around work etc.

 

[Provider]

2 different points really and youve combines the 2, it reaches more fans for the live product, Tv companies want a concise comp they can show every game of in a short period, that doesnt happen with 18 teams

again doesnt fit in the short month long window

well this year pretty much every England Player from white and red ball teams was in it, are they not the best? l

And if not the best we have to offer, how does diluting the product from 8 teams into 18 give us any better cricket

You're the one who combined the two points?

"and we cant go back to the well we had 18 venues, as it just doesnt work to make one tournament that tv companies want to broadcast"

I've said this before but there's absolutely no need for every game of a domestic competition to be broadcast live on TV. It was never a thing until the IPL and every other sport manages this.

Having a game on a day I can understand. And the 18 county setup doesn't prevent that.

The thing about the English players is missing the point. They're only playing because they've been told to. And ECB could easily do that for the Blast.

You tell me why reducing the number of teams will improve the quality? We've been world champions/ranked number one in the world in all formats with the 18 county setup. That feels like an endorsement of quality to me?

 

[Steak Pie]

IPL 2 is coming

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and we cant go back to the well we had 18 venues, as it just doesnt work to make one tournament that tv companies want to broadcast, and broadcast money is king really

Yeah we can, and yes it does.

 

[Parkside]

The investment of it recently will also bring better quality players from abroad as well.

Thus meaning we could have the worlds best short format cricketers along with the best of England.

I find that a good watch, the best players in the world putting their wits against each other.

Tbf the hundred has failed up to this point to bring all the good players in this format together, but that is going to get better in future years imo.

Indeed-The agreement in the sell off is that investors claim 80% of any profit and ECB the remaining 20% . Given that these investors have an 8-4 majority over ECB on the Hundred board,clearly it's within their power to increase that discrepancy even further.
County gate receipts are irrelevant,as quoted for Glamorgan they represent 2% of their income which is probably not greatly different to all other counties revenue streams. The CC,however, is the nursery for test cricket which is by far the greatest revenue stream via gate,tv and sponsorship with overall turnover for ECB of £300m+. Of this £300m+, an un believable £250m is spent on ECB administrative employee costs,up from £91m as recent as 2017. Draw back these figures to 2017 levels and allow for inflation would still make a saving of > £100m. Allocate those savings to counties would give each county a further £5-6m on top of the current £3-4m
allocation.
Furthermore ECB allocated £2.6m on the marketing budget promoting the Hundred yet it still incurred losses Redirect that budget to the domestic T20 which has considerably less running costs and only a considerable profit margin would ensue.
But no, will the Franchise devotees continue to stick their heads in the sand,@Voice of fair play being the most vociferous or will they respond to address the above concerns?
Yet Bostock labels we members Luddites.

The hundred will reach more fans over a month at 8 venues than 25 days of test cricket at 5 will.The

That's a bold statement with no facts to back it up. 25 days of test cricket will certainly raise more gate revenue.
Current allocation of tv revenue is split £60m to The Hundred and £160m to England International cricket.
There are 6_venues common to both formats and Wales and Hampshire don't attract significant numbers.

 

[Aidan11]

I wonder how many of those who attended "The Eliminator" yesterday got value for money.

At least today is the last day of this rubbish until next year.

 

[Provider]

I wonder how many of those who attended "The Eliminator" yesterday got value for money.

At least today is the last day of this rubbish until next year.

I'd be surprised if many of the attendees paid for their tickets.