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Christmas Day games are the future of Australian sport

9th December, 2016
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Brad Hogg is leaving the Scorchers for the Renegades. (AAP Image/Theron Kirkman)
Roar Guru
9th December, 2016
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A Big Bash match is one step closer to being played on Christmas Day and that would be the best present cricket fans could hope for.

Cricket Australia are working towards introducing a Christmas Day game by creating a team to speed up the development of the idea.

BBL chief Anthony Everard is still gauging interest on the concept from teams and officials, but implementing it could revolutionise Australian sport.

“I guess if we were to contemplate scheduling a game, what are the things we would need to take into account and what would make it a success?

“We’re keen to hear the feedback to be honest, we are going to undertake some reasonably formal fan research during the season.”

“Once we’ve got a little bit more information and we’ve got a bit more of a considered view on it, we would reach out to the clubs and ask for expressions of interest, in many ways the same as we did for New Year’s Eve … when the Adelaide Strikers put their hand up,” he said.

Sport and Christmas go together like ham and gravy. They’re fantastic on their own, but when combined, it’s a total game-changer.

Having a game on Christmas Day is a win-win situation for everyone.

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Cricket Australia don’t need to look any further than the US to see how financially successful the NBA has been over the past few years when attracting viewers on Christmas Day.

For adults aged between 18 and 49, the NBA Christmas Day games ranked first, second and third in viewership.

The 8:00pm prime time game between the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets attracted 3,881,000 viewers, a ridiculous number for what is essentially a normal, regular-season game.

If Cricket Australia can emulate these numbers to scale, they could be poised for a huge payoff.

With so many eyes on the television, it would also mean that companies who want to advertise their product would pay big dollars to get even just a few seconds of air time.

It’s basic economics really. More money goes to Cricket Australia, it gets distributed among players and clubs which in turn assists in the development of the Big Bash League and eventually grassroots cricket associations who need the money the most.

The influx of money could attract bigger players, ensure that younger cricketers in youth teams have access to great facilities access and so much more.

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Australia has many traditions in regards to sport; the Boxing Day and New Year’s Tests are just two which come to mind. So why not have a game on Christmas Day?

Attracting crowds shouldn’t be an issue, as long as the two teams have something more to play for than just two points on the ladder.

Many critics have panned the concept entirely, arguing that there won’t be enough time in the day for Christmas celebrations and a game of T20 cricket.

But with the current format, Cricket Australia aren’t asking for fans to sit in the sun for the entire day and miss out on Christmas entirely. A T20 match will only last about three hours or so, much shorter in comparison to a ODI.

And Christmas plans vary from family to family, but after a huge lunch having to listen to Aunty Mary’s love life problems, there’s nothing more I would love than to lie down and watch some cricket.

Or any sport, really.

Another argument against a Christmas Day is the strain on the players and those who have to work that evening.

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While this is certainly a subjective matter, surely a financial incentive for players would convince them to play in the evening.

With the NRL’s State of Origin players currently eanring $30,000 per game, and still pushing for more, a similar financial bonus for players could be enough to sway those sitting on the fence.

Much like the fans, players aren’t being forced to spend the entire day at the stadium. They can celebrate with their families during the day and then travel to the stadium later in the afternoon.

Don’t be surprised if teams from other codes jump on the idea because they know as well as I that it could only be a success for everyone involved.

A single game of T20 cricket on Christmas Day isn’t going to be the end of the world for fans and players. No way. Instead, it could be the beginning of something beautiful.

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