The Great ECB Bribe

[NorthCountryBoy]

Average attendances per match are way down. Don't know about overall.

The ECB should be spending money on subsidising tickets and paying to get the sport on FTA instead of a vanity project which is already doomed.

http://birminghambears.com/news/bears-continue-growth-natwest-t20-blast-attendances/

Same story ever since they they re-branded judging from my Google search. I think that's probably as much due to the ECB getting away from the daft 'fixture block' thing as anything though.

I agree with you that mothballing grounds like Essex and Somerset for T20 is short sighted, two divisions with coverage and talent massively skewed to Div 1 (i.e. the Premier League) would be best for me. Still think that this new 2020 revolution is better than the current fornat if the new broadcasting deal is what we hope for though.

 

[eddyfinn]

1) £15 million loss just in the first year.
2) You're trying to appeal to 10 million people who don't care or only have a minor interest in Cricket.
3) Playing it in a block where test players STILL won't be available.
4) You're purposefully limiting the audience. Cricket is the only sport in this country that thinks it can appeal to more people by cutting its audience.
5) It will probably send the national team backwards when it comes to it20. Australia have gotten progressively worse since the BBL was introduced.
6) Clashing with the CPL.
7) You can't stick a new team somewhere and expect people to support it. Look at Rugby League.
8) It's not going to be on FTA no matter who they try to spin it. If anything half the games will probably be on BT.
9) Where's the demand for this coming from? Even the '1 England game a year crowd' aren't bothered about this.
10) If the ECB have £1.3m a year to give the counties then why not just give them it?
11) When (not if) this fails it'll be the clubs that pay for it.

1) if you setup any business or new venture you are likely to lose money in the 1st year
2) everyone starts somewhere with an interest of cricket exciting, free flowing games with some of the best players around and not some county plodders will help and the fact that you can support a team and see every game from you arm chair is a step in the right direction.
3) you will probably miss about 5 players from the test team and there will still be gaps for them to play in, the rest will bbe supported by quality overseas talent.
4) this will increase the audience by going free to air with some games
5) loads of international teams have improved 20/20 because of these tournaments the Aussies are just lacking a few quality players in that format at the moment.
6) the CPL is awful these franchise will be able to outbid them without any issues.
7) rugby league is a northern sport tbf actually it's north west and Yorkshire sport and doesn't have anywhere near the interest or playing rate of cricket even in them particular areas. You put a team with quality players and internationals out people will turn out fact.
8) the ecb are putting on fta around 10 games and are also currently putting new initiatives it place to get youngsters involved. The problem is you can't and don't want to see this as you have an agenda against them.
9) there is demand and it will increase with publicity
10) the ecb will obviously be profiting so just sharing out these profits whilst also allowing teams to carry on in all forms out competition
11) how will they pay?? The only thing they would lose is the 1.3million a year and will likely have gained new supporters to the game.

If the ecb do nothing this sport will go under fact

 

[Struts]

1) if you setup any business or new venture you are likely to lose money in the 1st year
2) everyone starts somewhere with an interest of cricket exciting, free flowing games with some of the best players around and not some county plodders will help and the fact that you can support a team and see every game from you arm chair is a step in the right direction.
3) you will probably miss about 5 players from the test team and there will still be gaps for them to play in, the rest will bbe supported by quality overseas talent.
4) this will increase the audience by going free to air with some games
5) loads of international teams have improved 20/20 because of these tournaments the Aussies are just lacking a few quality players in that format at the moment.
6) the CPL is awful these franchise will be able to outbid them without any issues.
7) rugby league is a northern sport tbf actually it's north west and Yorkshire sport and doesn't have anywhere near the interest or playing rate of cricket even in them particular areas. You put a team with quality players and internationals out people will turn out fact.
8) the ecb are putting on fta around 10 games and are also currently putting new initiatives it place to get youngsters involved. The problem is you can't and don't want to see this as you have an agenda against them.
9) there is demand and it will increase with publicity
10) the ecb will obviously be profiting so just sharing out these profits whilst also allowing teams to carry on in all forms out competition
11) how will they pay?? The only thing they would lose is the 1.3million a year and will likely have gained new supporters to the game.

If the ecb do nothing this sport will go under fact

1) Don't doubt that money will be lost but 15 f***ing MILLION!? If you combine that with the likely failure of it then that is the sport dead financially.
2) T20 blast already attracts the best players, if anything a lot of them fail in the blast.
3) If there's going to be a game everyday then it's likely we'll see test players only once in the whole tournament then what's the point? If it's during a major series then it's likely they'll go back to their county to play CC if the two are going to overlap.
4) Should be at least 1 per round plus all play-off games
5) Such as? Only the Windies have a better record than us in the wt20
6) Some players (Such as Gayle and KP) will still go there because they can still smash sixes for fun off shite bowling on a flat track.
7) RL is expanding with new teams, Cricket is detracting. See point 2 as well.
8) I see the new intivivatives and it's not anything against the ECB, it's the obvious fact that kids who aren't from the areas that aren't hosting this tournament will still have no interest in it. All we need is we'll funded initiatives, not a vanity project no ones asked for.
9) ECB are piss poor at marketing and always have been. Won't change for franchise t20. Besides, who are these people who are going to fork out to see it? I keep being told they're there but no-one seems to know who they are. The after work crowd will most probably stick to going to see County t20 as will the county supporters who are being frozen out of the franchise league along with people from the wider area while families will stay away because families don't spend money on going to watch live sport so all that leaves us with is the darts crowd who are only there to make an arse of themselves and get on TV for a few seconds who while vocal simply don't make up a large enough audience to even fill up a few thousand seats.
10) If you think this is going to make money then bless you and your optimism.
11) When the financial losses set in who's going to fill in the gaps? It's always the club that suffer in events like these,

 

[NorthCountryBoy]

1) Don't doubt that money will be lost but 15 f***ing MILLION!? If you combine that with the likely failure of it then that is the sport dead financially.
2) T20 blast already attracts the best players, if anything a lot of them fail in the blast.
3) If there's going to be a game everyday then it's likely we'll see test players only once in the whole tournament then what's the point? If it's during a major series then it's likely they'll go back to their county to play CC if the two are going to overlap.
4) Should be at least 1 per round plus all play-off games
5) Such as? Only the Windies have a better record than us in the wt20
6) Some players (Such as Gayle and KP) will still go there because they can still smash sixes for fun off shite bowling on a flat track.
7) RL is expanding with new teams, Cricket is detracting. See point 2 as well.
8) I see the new intivivatives and it's not anything against the ECB, it's the obvious fact that kids who aren't from the areas that aren't hosting this tournament will still have no interest in it. All we need is we'll funded initiatives, not a vanity project no ones asked for.
9) ECB are piss poor at marketing and always have been. Won't change for franchise t20. Besides, who are these people who are going to fork out to see it? I keep being told they're there but no-one seems to know who they are. The after work crowd will most probably stick to going to see County t20 as will the county supporters who are being frozen out of the franchise league along with people from the wider area while families will stay away because families don't spend money on going to watch live sport so all that leaves us with is the darts crowd who are only there to make an arse of themselves and get on TV for a few seconds who while vocal simply don't make up a large enough audience to even fill up a few thousand seats.
10) If you think this is going to make money then bless you and your optimism.
11) When the financial losses set in who's going to fill in the gaps? It's always the club that suffer in events like these,

I don't get your point mine mate. As mentioned previously, the appetite for people to watch live sport in this country is massive. If you can fill the Olympic Stadium for the triple jump preliminary round at midday on a Wednesday you can get 15k in Trent Bridge for a well marketed, quality T20 on a Friday night.

Australia has access to the same risks for lack of interest as the U.K. (kids prefer social media, computer games etc) but now fills its grounds with women and children. It can easily succeed here too. The fact that Durham's hardcore 3,000 crowd will have no cricket for a month is a secondary concern for the ECB and rightly so.

 

[Liverpool Beachball]

I really don't see why the ECB think this will be a success.

The Big Bash league has more rather than less teams than the Australian first class/ limited overs league, and limiting this to a few cities will alienate rather than attract a fan base- no Durham fans are going to give a shit about watching Leeds, no Leicestershire fans are going to give a shit about watching Nottingham etc etc.

Plus there's got to come a point when watching the likes of Chris Gayle wacking 6s for about 10 franchises a year is just contrived and boring, even for kids

 

[Struts]

I don't get your point mine mate. As mentioned previously, the appetite for people to watch live sport in this country is massive. If you can fill the Olympic Stadium for the triple jump preliminary round at midday on a Wednesday you can get 15k in Trent Bridge for a well marketed, quality T20 on a Friday night.

Australia has access to the same risks for lack of interest as the U.K. (kids prefer social media, computer games etc) but now fills its grounds with women and children. It can easily succeed here too. The fact that Durham's hardcore 3,000 crowd will have no cricket for a month is a secondary concern for the ECB and rightly so.

Olympics in London is literally a once in a lifetime thing. T20 is every year. No way will Trent Bridge get 15k for games, it just won't and we all already have a quality t20 tournament so not sure what you mean by 'quality t20'.

You're comparing our sports market to Australia's, 2 different beasts. Live sport appeals to everyone there it doesn't here.

 

[Twisted]

It's becoming clear that bribe is increasingly the correct term. According to the Times the Minor Counties will be allowed to vote on this issue and have been promised extra funding if the scheme goes through.

f***ing hell how obvious can you get away with being.

1) if you setup any business or new venture you are likely to lose money in the 1st year
2) everyone starts somewhere with an interest of cricket exciting, free flowing games with some of the best players around and not some county plodders will help and the fact that you can support a team and see every game from you arm chair is a step in the right direction.
3) you will probably miss about 5 players from the test team and there will still be gaps for them to play in, the rest will bbe supported by quality overseas talent.
4) this will increase the audience by going free to air with some games
5) loads of international teams have improved 20/20 because of these tournaments the Aussies are just lacking a few quality players in that format at the moment.
6) the CPL is awful these franchise will be able to outbid them without any issues.
7) rugby league is a northern sport tbf actually it's north west and Yorkshire sport and doesn't have anywhere near the interest or playing rate of cricket even in them particular areas. You put a team with quality players and internationals out people will turn out fact.
8) the ecb are putting on fta around 10 games and are also currently putting new initiatives it place to get youngsters involved. The problem is you can't and don't want to see this as you have an agenda against them.
9) there is demand and it will increase with publicity
10) the ecb will obviously be profiting so just sharing out these profits whilst also allowing teams to carry on in all forms out competition
11) how will they pay?? The only thing they would lose is the 1.3million a year and will likely have gained new supporters to the game.

If the ecb do nothing this sport will go under fact

to answer 2 - why do you need to rebrand expensively and cut out existing teams that already have followers to avchieve this? better funding and organisation and the existing clubs could be doing this already, instead of alienating current fans and trying to get a new crowd why not cater to what people who are already fans want and more of them will spend money?

4& 8 - this could have been done years ago and again doesn't need to throw the baby out with the bathwater, why more cricket hasn't been on telly is ludicrous. even if FTECB got a pittance for coverage rights it would have been better to take less money for actual coverage rather than take sky's money and have them show 1 or 2 county matches per season

10&11 the existing counties will be left in the dirt man. don't be so daft. it is just like the privatiation and monopoly breaking of royal mail - other people can come in and take the most profitable parts of the business [packets/one day t20] that funded the less profitable [letters/4 day matches] and yes the clubs will suffer as will those who want to watch cricket in whites.

this is the future - and is just like you see so many people on the football forum saying - about the formation of a euro superr league, 'the sooner they (chelsea, manchester etc) fuck off and we are left with a more competitive league the better' and i think aye but it will be in a league less people give a fuck about and is less funded. yes durham, once abandoned by the t20 city franchises will still exist, but they'll be playing the likes of whitburn and they'll have sold the white elephant of chester le street and probably be back at the university ground. actually not sold, as they don't own it, so they might well have gone bust by them and be reformed by whip rounds by people like us.

I don't get your point mine mate. As mentioned previously, the appetite for people to watch live sport in this country is massive. If you can fill the Olympic Stadium for the triple jump preliminary round at midday on a Wednesday you can get 15k in Trent Bridge for a well marketed, quality T20 on a Friday night.

Australia has access to the same risks for lack of interest as the U.K. (kids prefer social media, computer games etc) but now fills its grounds with women and children. It can easily succeed here too. The fact that Durham's hardcore 3,000 crowd will have no cricket for a month is a secondary concern for the ECB and rightly so.

f***ing hell. the olympics is fairly famous and being held in britain is pretty much a once in a lifetime occurance.

also i think it's a bit warmer in australia.

 

[Icarebecauseyoudo]

Put it on terrestrial and it might just work

Though the counties will be forgotten

 

[Steak Pie]

1) if you setup any business or new venture you are likely to lose money in the 1st year
2) everyone starts somewhere with an interest of cricket exciting, free flowing games with some of the best players around and not some county plodders will help and the fact that you can support a team and see every game from you arm chair is a step in the right direction.
3) you will probably miss about 5 players from the test team and there will still be gaps for them to play in, the rest will bbe supported by quality overseas talent.
4) this will increase the audience by going free to air with some games
5) loads of international teams have improved 20/20 because of these tournaments the Aussies are just lacking a few quality players in that format at the moment.
6) the CPL is awful these franchise will be able to outbid them without any issues.
7) rugby league is a northern sport tbf actually it's north west and Yorkshire sport and doesn't have anywhere near the interest or playing rate of cricket even in them particular areas. You put a team with quality players and internationals out people will turn out fact.
8) the ecb are putting on fta around 10 games and are also currently putting new initiatives it place to get youngsters involved. The problem is you can't and don't want to see this as you have an agenda against them.
9) there is demand and it will increase with publicity
10) the ecb will obviously be profiting so just sharing out these profits whilst also allowing teams to carry on in all forms out competition
11) how will they pay?? The only thing they would lose is the 1.3million a year and will likely have gained new supporters to the game.

If the ecb do nothing this sport will go under fact

You keep saying FACT when what you really mean is OPINION.

It's being mooted that 8 games out of the 38 will be on free to air TV, and none of those will be the play-offs or the final. Once again, missing the entire point of putting the games on free anyway. So no, you won't be able to see every game from your armchair.

We have a sport with a solid fanbase, T20 Blast and One Day Cup attendances are up and are recovering from the ECB continually tinkering with the format of each. Why they aren't trying to maximise the existing competitions is beyond comprehension.

A straw pole of the Lancs members showed that about 1 in 10 would bother with a Manchester team. So here we have a new competition that is immediately going to alienate around 90% of it's existing fans. It's absolute lunacy.

Answer me this. If the ECB are introducing all of these new schemes, then why not base them round a County T20 competition? Why are the kids in Durham, Leicester, Northants, Derby etc etc going to be excluded?

And how are those clubs going to attract new fans when they aren't represented?

 

[Marko]

Surely, which we are concerned about, there is a Newcastle, they'll play at North-South's ground? It'd be pointless, calling it anything but Durham if playing at CLS as it'll just alienate people.

 

[eddyfinn]

You keep saying FACT when what you really mean is OPINION.

It's being mooted that 8 games out of the 38 will be on free to air TV, and none of those will be the play-offs or the final. Once again, missing the entire point of putting the games on free anyway. So no, you won't be able to see every game from your armchair.

We have a sport with a solid fanbase, T20 Blast and One Day Cup attendances are up and are recovering from the ECB continually tinkering with the format of each. Why they aren't trying to maximise the existing competitions is beyond comprehension.

A straw pole of the Lancs members showed that about 1 in 10 would bother with a Manchester team. So here we have a new competition that is immediately going to alienate around 90% of it's existing fans. It's absolute lunacy.

Answer me this. If the ECB are introducing all of these new schemes, then why not base them round a County T20 competition? Why are the kids in Durham, Leicester, Northants, Derby etc etc going to be excluded?

And how are those clubs going to attract new fans when they aren't represented?

Every game will be televised. can you tell me any form of English cricket competitions bar international cricket you can do that? Is it fun to watch scorecards? You don't even get every game on the radio these days. We will at least have some cricket to watch for those without sky or dodgy boxes that can't be a bad thing can it?

The fan base isn't solid, attendances at the majority of counties are getting worse year on year some yes have increased but most have decreased the most worrying stats are the playing stats particularly juniors which will harm the game going forward and the fan base will take a big hit .

A straw pole probably made up with people who are set in there ways. I'm sure they won't be interested to go and watch a team that is made up of 3 quality overseas internationals along with the best talent in and around the uk instead of the normal t20 game where there is probably 2 decent players in each team due to there being so many of th m and a lack of finances to get the overseas players in. People do tend to support there team first and foremost but it's not as if they will be supporting a different county.

They aren't all in as it wouldn't be possible for all games to be televised and in such a short period of time it just wouldn't be possible and again the talent would be spread out with average county plodders having to make the numbers up. So if kids do see this why can't they then go to Durham to watch a game all formats are still being played and tbh not having a team might be beneficial as parents will have more money to spend on seeing Durham as they won't be paying for a city franchise ticket.

At the end of the day we won't agree on this and the proof will be how successful it actually is. One thing is for sure is when it comes around I will pick a team to support and follow either in person or on the tv.

 

[NorthCountryBoy]

You keep saying FACT when what you really mean is OPINION.

It's being mooted that 8 games out of the 38 will be on free to air TV, and none of those will be the play-offs or the final. Once again, missing the entire point of putting the games on free anyway. So no, you won't be able to see every game from your armchair.

We have a sport with a solid fanbase, T20 Blast and One Day Cup attendances are up and are recovering from the ECB continually tinkering with the format of each. Why they aren't trying to maximise the existing competitions is beyond comprehension.

A straw pole of the Lancs members showed that about 1 in 10 would bother with a Manchester team. So here we have a new competition that is immediately going to alienate around 90% of it's existing fans. It's absolute lunacy.

Answer me this. If the ECB are introducing all of these new schemes, then why not base them round a County T20 competition? Why are the kids in Durham, Leicester, Northants, Derby etc etc going to be excluded?

And how are those clubs going to attract new fans when they aren't represented?

Don't the county memberships in aggregate total 90,000 or something? Cricket needs to pitch at the 60m, not the 90,000.

And I say that as a cricket purist who prefers red ball to white and counties to franchises.

 

[Steak Pie]

Every game will be televised. can you tell me any form of English cricket competitions bar international cricket you can do that? Is it fun to watch scorecards? You don't even get every game on the radio these days. We will at least have some cricket to watch for those without sky or dodgy boxes that can't be a bad thing can it?

The fan base isn't solid, attendances at the majority of counties are getting worse year on year some yes have increased but most have decreased the most worrying stats are the playing stats particularly juniors which will harm the game going forward and the fan base will take a big hit .

A straw pole probably made up with people who are set in there ways. I'm sure they won't be interested to go and watch a team that is made up of 3 quality overseas internationals along with the best talent in and around the uk instead of the normal t20 game where there is probably 2 decent players in each team due to there being so many of th m and a lack of finances to get the overseas players in. People do tend to support there team first and foremost but it's not as if they will be supporting a different county.

They aren't all in as it wouldn't be possible for all games to be televised and in such a short period of time it just wouldn't be possible and again the talent would be spread out with average county plodders having to make the numbers up. So if kids do see this why can't they then go to Durham to watch a game all formats are still being played and tbh not having a team might be beneficial as parents will have more money to spend on seeing Durham as they won't be paying for a city franchise ticket.

At the end of the day we won't agree on this and the proof will be how successful it actually is. One thing is for sure is when it comes around I will pick a team to support and follow either in person or on the tv.

Televised behind the same paywall that is roundly blamed for nobody watching the One Day Cup, the same paywall that already has the One Day Cup and the T20 Blast. During the season you can watch multiple 50 or 20 over games every week. So what is all this crap about watching scorecards? Explain to me how you think that people who don't watch domestic cricket on Sky, will now suddenly watch some more domestic cricket on Sky. Eight games on free TV. Eight. Almost pointless.

This was a straw poll of people who attend the T20 Blast, this is my point about the existing fanbase. So you have people who are interested in the new product you are trying to push, but you have decided to alienate them right at the start. It's the stupidest thing I've ever heard.

And if you think that the T20 Blast teams are made up of "2 decent players in each team" then you clearly don't have any clue.

The point is, if you want to push a new T20 competition then you have the infrastructure in place. Why are the ECB suddenly trying to get kids involved at the expense of the Counties rather than with them? Why is there suddenly a push to invest in youth, with the caveat that it's away from the County academies?

And let's just say there are kids that watch Chris Gayle play for the Manchester Mercenaries and want to get involved. How do you inspire them to go down to the Riverside after you've explained to them that Durham don't have a team? How is that going to be easier than taking the kids down to the Riverside to watch Durham v Lancs and see Gayle in person?

And have you seriously just tried to claim that Durham not having a team in the new competition is somehow going to have a positive effect on attendances in other formats?

Don't the county memberships in aggregate total 90,000 or something? Cricket needs to pitch at the 60m, not the 90,000.

And I say that as a cricket purist who prefers red ball to white and counties to franchises.

Me too, but we're not on about red ball cricket here.

The point is about revamping the 20/20 game in order to maximise exposure and I can't comprehend why you want to jettison the people you already have buy tickets.

All the stuff they're on about on the edge of this new deal - investing millions in youth, free to air telly, investing in overseas stars - great. Great stuff. On board with that 100%. But why are they trying to do it from a standing start?

You could do it with the existing T20 Blast easy as you like, there has to be a reason why they aren't. To me it's clear that this is the ECB trying to circumvent the Counties and keep more of the cash themselves. And that cannot possible be good for the game.

 

[brandon]

Every game will be televised. can you tell me any form of English cricket competitions bar international cricket you can do that? Is it fun to watch scorecards? You don't even get every game on the radio these days. We will at least have some cricket to watch for those without sky or dodgy boxes that can't be a bad thing can it?


The fan base isn't solid, attendances at the majority of counties are getting worse year on year some yes have increased but most have decreased the most worrying stats are the playing stats particularly juniors which will harm the game going forward and the fan base will take a big hit .

A straw pole probably made up with people who are set in there ways. I'm sure they won't be interested to go and watch a team that is made up of 3 quality overseas internationals along with the best talent in and around the uk instead of the normal t20 game where there is probably 2 decent players in each team due to there being so many of th m and a lack of finances to get the overseas players in. People do tend to support there team first and foremost but it's not as if they will be supporting a different county.

They aren't all in as it wouldn't be possible for all games to be televised and in such a short period of time it just wouldn't be possible and again the talent would be spread out with average county plodders having to make the numbers up. So if kids do see this why can't they then go to Durham to watch a game all formats are still being played and tbh not having a team might be beneficial as parents will have more money to spend on seeing Durham as they won't be paying for a city franchise ticket.

At the end of the day we won't agree on this and the proof will be how successful it actually is. One thing is for sure is when it comes around I will pick a team to support and follow either in person or on the tv.

The point about television, is it needs to be FTA, it's been said by literally f***ing everyone who knows anything about cricket. The Big Bash is so successful due to the fact (among other things) that EVERY game is on FTA. Not some shitty piece offering of ten (of the least flashy games) on FTA. Plus as has been said, the latter stages and final will still be on Sky or BT.

Every game of county cricket, regardless of format, is on BBC radio either online or via the app and has been for a few seasons now.

The playing numbers will increase massively if every game is on FTA. I'm very confident of that. As for the attendances, it's already been stated the T20 crowds are on the up because the format and scheduling has become more friendly to spectators. It's possible to improve those further with better tweaking and to improve them tenfold by making tickets far more affordable. For £25 a family of four can watch a Big Bash game.

Interesting how you dismiss the straw pole. Real matchgoing cricket fans were asked what they thought, but because it goes against what you're trying to preach you cast it aside.

Interesting also that you say - 'it's not as if they'll be supporting a different county' - well, as many as half the counties will be, if that's what they choose to do. Are Somerset fans going to go and support the Welsh Dragons? Are Essex fans going to support the Kennington Kings?

Lastly, are you honestly saying you'll pay money to Yorkshire to sit amongst that lot and support the Headingly based franchise?

You could do it with the existing T20 Blast easy as you like, there has to be a reason why they aren't. To me it's clear that this is the ECB trying to circumvent the Counties and keep more of the cash themselves. And that cannot possible be good for the game.

Nail on the head.

Pure greed. Nothing else.

If the current T20 Blast finals day was on FTA telly, it would spark a massive upturn in interest of the county game. Simple as that.

If the administrators gave BBC the rights for just one day of cricket - finals day - it would work wonders. Problem is, FTECB are only really interested in lining their own pockets.

 

[NorthCountryBoy]

Televised behind the same paywall that is roundly blamed for nobody watching the One Day Cup, the same paywall that already has the One Day Cup and the T20 Blast. During the season you can watch multiple 50 or 20 over games every week. So what is all this crap about watching scorecards? Explain to me how you think that people who don't watch domestic cricket on Sky, will now suddenly watch some more domestic cricket on Sky. Eight games on free TV. Eight. Almost pointless.

This was a straw poll of people who attend the T20 Blast, this is my point about the existing fanbase. So you have people who are interested in the new product you are trying to push, but you have decided to alienate them right at the start. It's the stupidest thing I've ever heard.

And if you think that the T20 Blast teams are made up of "2 decent players in each team" then you clearly don't have any clue.

The point is, if you want to push a new T20 competition then you have the infrastructure in place. Why are the ECB suddenly trying to get kids involved at the expense of the Counties rather than with them? Why is there suddenly a push to invest in youth, with the caveat that it's away from the County academies?

And let's just say there are kids that watch Chris Gayle play for the Manchester Mercenaries and want to get involved. How do you inspire them to go down to the Riverside after you've explained to them that Durham don't have a team? How is that going to be easier than taking the kids down to the Riverside to watch Durham v Lancs and see Gayle in person?

And have you seriously just tried to claim that Durham not having a team in the new competition is somehow going to have a positive effect on attendances in other formats?



Me too, but we're not on about red ball cricket here.

The point is about revamping the 20/20 game in order to maximise exposure and I can't comprehend why you want to jettison the people you already have buy tickets.

All the stuff they're on about on the edge of this new deal - investing millions in youth, free to air telly, investing in overseas stars - great. Great stuff. On board with that 100%. But why are they trying to do it from a standing start?

You could do it with the existing T20 Blast easy as you like, there has to be a reason why they aren't. To me it's clear that this is the ECB trying to circumvent the Counties and keep more of the cash themselves. And that cannot possible be good for the game.

I agree with most of what you and @brandon below say. The current T20 Blast, split into a Premier and Championship would be the best solution. Flintoff coming back from retirement to almost win the final for Lancs two years ago should have been iconic TV but only about 400k watched it.

My point is still that 10 games on FTA with franchises is better than the current system. It'll be glitzy which may be naff for us purists but it's what cricket needs.

Will stuff like the Championship still be played while this is on?

 

[Twisted]

Don't the county memberships in aggregate total 90,000 or something? Cricket needs to pitch at the 60m, not the 90,000.

And I say that as a cricket purist who prefers red ball to white and counties to franchises.

Lets tailor everything to the 60m who don't like cricket instead of the 90k who actually do, weyai

 

[Marko]

I don't get why we can't just accept that Football is the number one sport in the UK and stop trying to pedal it, like the USA are doing with footy. If people aren't already interested, why ruin the sport to try to tempt them in? All they're doing with this is spreading the number of quality players further meaning a lower standard everywhere.

 

[stephen cartwright]

Won't work, simple as that

nowt wrong with the current t20 format and the big bash is full of county players playing already.

we have won and lost one final on the world stage whilst the so called inferior t20 blast has been going.

this money should have been spent on the current format

laughable that it will be played during test matches as most of the fans would like to see the English players perform

one example of stupidity was stokes being unable to bowl during finals day last year.

also most of the current stars will be retired come 2020? Gayle, Peterson, McCollum bravo etc .

 

[NorthCountryBoy]

I don't get why we can't just accept that Football is the number one sport in the UK and stop trying to pedal it, like the USA are doing with footy. If people aren't already interested, why ruin the sport to try to tempt them in? All they're doing with this is spreading the number of quality players further meaning a lower standard everywhere.

Sorry mate but that's such a defeatist attitude. Cricket was Australia's sixth favourite sport three years ago. It's now first as a result of mass coverage of the BBL.

Why can't cricket get to second here? Australia faces exactly the same competing interests as the UK such as social media etc.

 

[The Breen Machine]

Sorry mate but that's such a defeatist attitude. Cricket was Australia's sixth favourite sport three years ago. It's now first as a result of mass coverage of the BBL.

Why can't cricket get to second here? Australia faces exactly the same competing interests as the UK such as social media etc.

Sixth?! What was ahead of it other than obviously Rugby and Aussie Rules?

I doubt it was their sixth favourite sport when Australia were beating everyone in site.

Also, isn't all their test cricket on FTA?