Exclusive Roar guest column Big Bash League project owner Mike McKenna continues the discussion with Roarers about the Big Bash League.
It has been interesting to read all the passionate comments about the game of cricket, the level of support for Interstate cricket, and the thoughts of dedicated cricket fans on the Big Bash League plans.
Interstate cricket, in the Sheffield Shield and Ryobi Cup (and its previous incarnations), has been at the centre of talent development for the Australian Test and One Day team, since the game’s beginnings in Australia.
Cricket Australia and State Associations invest millions in sustaining these competitions to help produce the best possible players for the national team. Our recent announcement that the Sheffield Shield competition will continue to be played over a full ten rounds and the Ryobi Cup reinforces our commitment to these competitions.
International cricket is by far our most important focus and our Board and CEO continue to reinforce that position and the place of Interstate cricket to that cause.
But let’s get real. How many people are passionately committed to their State team?
Sure, there are plenty who follow the scores, check out the points table and are delighted when their State wins the Shield.
However only a few, very loyal and passionate fans, attend more than the occasional match.
We average less than 1,500 fans to State cricket clashes.
Compare that to the AFL, NRL, the A-League or any other professional sporting League in the world and make your own judgements about the commitment of fans to State cricket.
The Big Bash has come onto the scene in the last five years and has been embraced by fans attending matches, watching the Fox Sports broadcast and talking about local heroes. Fans are telling us that this form of the game is very appealing and that they want more.
In that time we have had more fans attending International cricket than at any time in the past. This suggests that cricket fans are able to support more than one or two forms of the game.
Our research and the evidence of attendees at matches shows that International cricket is still the most popular product we offer but Twenty20 is growing.
While there are plenty of traditional cricket supporters attending Big Bash matches, anyone who has attended the Big Bash can see venues full of families and kids who would not be seen dead at a longer form match.
Clearly the Big Bash provides an opportunity for cricket to appeal to a new audience. Cricket would be negligent to ignore this as an opportunity to engage more fans.
Cricket is at a crossroads, the access the game had in the past to Australian youth has all but gone.
The almost compulsory place on the school curriculum which saw most boys playing some cricket at school, the freedom to play with mates in the streets and parks until it got dark, and the family games at the beach and parks, are a thing of the past.
Add to that societal change, which drives us to busier lives with more options to choose from, makes traditional cricket an anathema to many.
If we do not re-engage Australian youth and the female market which, on average, has always been less enthused by cricket than male, the game will not maintain its current strong place in Australian culture.
If cricket is to have a hope of continuing to attract interest from kids and their busy mothers we need a product that meets their needs. And if we are to be able to continue to invest in growing the game; in grassroots cricket, in the Interstate competitions and supporting the Australian team, we need to find new revenue streams.
The Big Bash is clearly that product.
The Big Bash changes will allow room for more teams to play more matches and deliver the experience that today’s sports fans take for granted in the winter months, frequent regular compelling content played by teams they choose to get passionate about.
We cannot increase the number of teams under the State system which is the core of the other forms of cricket.
The option of introducing teams in the Northern Territory etc is simply not supported by the demographics of Australia or the logistics of travel around the country for teams, fans or broadcasters and ignores the needs of the biggest population centres.
We are not changing State cricket.
Fans that follow their State teams now will be still be able to watch the Bushrangers, the Redbacks and the Blues fight it out in the Shield and Ryobi Cup for years to come.
The Big Bash League is set to grow and we would like all cricket fans to give it time to develop.
Try it and ideally embrace it, but you’ll make your own choice.
Bondy
Guest
The( Big Bash) it sounds desperate too sell a product, that with the bells and whistles that come with it or should i say flames and drums and cheerleaders. What concrens me with cricket is ,what is our next generation of children going to like or dislike about cricket , is the child born in say 2020 going to like or have an appreciation for test match cricket is test match cricket going to be around in 2050.
Keiran
Guest
I would like to know, how much will be spent on the big bash 'product' next year?; and how much would it cost to give every club in Australia a new practice net? Or to bring the Canberra Comets back into first class competition? If it's money your interested in Mr McKenna, think about what struggling outback cricket clubs would do with a little extra help. Think about how that could create passionate cricketers with potential to become real 'heroes' one day Mr McKenna. I think you ought to listen up or step down. I'm not naive enough to believe Mike McKenna will read this but I hope that Australian cricketers (that's all Australians who play cricket) can get loud enough for him to pay attention soon.
Bayman
Guest
Russ, In a nutshell...... Now, if it's obvious to you, and me, and several others here why is it so difficult for CA to understand. Optionally, they do but don't really care.
Bayman
Guest
Mike, If we assume that all of your points are valid then I can see the logic behind your arguments. The shorter versions of the game give all the very busy people the opportunity to watch cricket (in one of its forms) for a few hours, which is all they have available to them. I'm presuming it's a given that four days of watching is out of the question. Incidentally, I'm conceding to you, for the sake of the argument, that the Big Bash is more about getting the fans back than the money which might be generated. That is right, isn't it? That point conceded, I now look for another reason and I'm snookered. Can't find one. I'm sure it's there but, of course, it could just be the money after all. As for the current lack of interest in the Sheffield Shield there may be a few reasons. Those busy lives you speak of is certainly one. Everybody just trying to stay in front of the game of life means no time for frivolities like Shield cricket. Added to this, and you made the point, schools no longer promote sport, and the involvement in sport, which they did in my day. Sport was played mid week or on Saturday mornings and always there was the teacher, doubling as coach, to manage things. Some parents came to watch, some did not. These days, however, the schools have bailed out and largely because the teachers (oddly) no longer wish to be at risk of being sued by some demented parent because young Johnny got hurt and somehow the teacher was responsible/didn't provide enough protection/didn't complain to the opposition enough/didn't intervene enough/didn't provide enough transport cover to stop Johnny surviving the game but falling off his bike on the way home/the list is endless. In this regard I concede we parents have been our own worst enemy and certainly the schools worst enemy. On this issue, all sports have suffered, cricket is but one. Having got young Johnny through his cricket and his school, however, we come to Cricket Australia's contribution to the lack of interest. Whether through scheduling, design, or some fitness expert deciding how much cricket was too much, we find a Sheffield Shield competition almost completely denuded of any player ranked in the top 25 in the county. I can count on one hand the number of Games Ricky Ponting has played for Tasmania in the last five years (and probably ten years). Incidentally, it seems to matter little that Ponting has been living in NSW for a decade without any requirement to actually play for NSW. Funny game, cricket. Perhaps Bradman could have kept playing for NSW. So, having forcibly removed all the best players from the competition, CA have compounded the problem by scheduling several games between Monday and Friday. Little wonder all those "busy people", and school kids, are unable to attend. I know the school kids could always turn up during the summer break but there's still plenty of games scheduled for October, November, February and March. I also remember racing home from school to watch the last session of the Shield on television (the good old ABC). Of course, now that Nine have the game wrapped up those little niceties are out the back door. As someone has suggested, perhaps in the next TV rights negotiations CA could ask for one of those many digital channels, which seem to crop up these days, to cover domestic cricket live. This may get more people interested enough to pay money to watch the game at the ground (I'm talking mainly kids, Mike). The big thing, though, is getting the good players to play the game. Perhaps if the quicks actually played and bowled more they wouldn't be getting soft and injured in the current numbers. In other words, Mike, resting them does not seem to be helping them. Especially if they are spending their time "working out" instead of actually bowling and playing. It's a thought! As for the batsmen, I can see no reason why the work load of Shield cricket is too daunting for them. In addition, barring an accident or old age (see Hussey, hamstring) I can see no obvious reason why a batsman should actually get injured at all. Certainly not from too much playing (old men like Huss, Katich, Ponting being the obvious exceptions, of course!) So, while we agree people have not been supporting the Sheffield Shield in the required numbers, and we agree this competition is absolutely necessary for the development of first class and Test players, can we also agree that CA could do more to help. It doesn't help to have CA dramatically dilute the "product" (your term) and then complain because discerning fans don't bother to watch it live - for whatever reason. By the way, Mike, and this is for free, please stop referring to the game as a product. It's not a product it's a sport, a game. Such terms might make us all think that CA is only interested in the money. And that would worry us given CA is responsible for the game.
Twatter
Guest
I have a greater concern for Cricket in this country that doesn't have anything to do with the different formats of the game but participation rates at junior levels is the big concern for me.Ok i may be well of the mark but i see todays kids less likely to want to stand in the sun for a Saturday afternoon especially with all the mod con's of the world today, x box, internet etc etc.
Jason
Guest
Isn't the elephant in the CA room here the fact that this year's Big Bash was boring as batsh1t? Seriously, if their marketing is telling them that the public wants more of what we saw this year then I would suggest CA sack it's market researchers. There was barely a close game in the whole tournament, aside from a couple of innings from Pollard and Gayle, there was barely an innings that left you thinking "how good was that". And the coaches have very quickly worked out that the most effecting bowling style (where you don't have barrage of world class quicks at your disposal) is orthodox accurate spinners bowling slow full balls on leg stump. Hardly thrilling stuff. Funnily enough, the abomination that is the 45 over split innings tournament produced far more interesting matches this season.
Rellum
Roar Guru
I will say this again, this is not about "battle between" 20/20 and other forms of cricket. I am having a bad day today :)
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
I am working for Cricket in Australia but i don't get paid for it.
Rellum
Roar Guru
Yes that's re-invented. You have to question someone making some many comments on a subject they clearly don't understand or at minimum haven't read up on the details. They are not renaming the existing state teams they are creating complete new entities, with all new management, running and start up costs to "hopefully" appeal to an audience that already attends games as you yourself have stated for a product that they readily admit is secondary to international cricket and is likely to have the same life span as ODI's in is popularity life cycle. I will say this again, this is not about 20/20 or other forms of cricket.
Wall-Nut
Guest
Sheek that's makes you around 55, your a baby boomer. I was right!! -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
Wall-Nut
Guest
That's re-invented!!!!!! -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
Wall-Nut
Guest
It's not being re-invented, their changing the names of the teams and adding 2, what are you talking about! You mean like 4 day cricket to ODI and ODI to 20/20 -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
sheek
Guest
Wall-Nut, If I had had you as a son, I would have done so before my 20th birthday.....
Rellum
Roar Guru
If 20/20 is doing well why does it need to be re-invented?
Wall-Nut
Guest
Crazy Dave your just another cricket traditionalist. You don't even know what I'm trying to say, yet you sit there and wonder why 20/20 is doing so well. I never thought I'd see the day when a sport has a code war with itself. That truly is denial. Atleast you get points for loving your sport with passion! -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
Wall-Nut
Guest
If others don't understand why one would have an opinion of not liking ones sport, then how on earth do you know how to fix crickets problem, when others don't take general information as helpful information. -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
Funktapuss
Guest
It will end up like basketball in Australia. They will run it down to a point it will be on it's knees then the cricket community will have to step in, boot out the marketing experts and turn the game around by just sticking to the fundamentals.
Funktapuss
Guest
Actually a big cross against Geelong was they played a Victorian one dayer down there and it only drew 1,000 odd punters, roughly what the Geelong cricket team will get playing in Premier Cricket, if you count people walking the dog, netballers and people looking over whilst driving down the road over the railway.
Funktapuss
Guest
Well, your not exactly a loyal customer of the mickey-mouse format of the game so I don't think us cricket people should just burn everything for your sake. May I suggest baseball.
Funktapuss
Guest
Vinay, you should working for Cricket Australia.