Crowd numbers are on the decline and interest is waning across the longer forms of cricket. Although it’s still the most demanding and entertaining form amongst cricketing purists, its lack of support financially and socially is robbing us of the game’s most intricate format.
Deemed boring to less patient audiences, crowd numbers suggest the longest form of the game is on death row. Whilst international Test matches are still well attended in Australia, India, England, South Africa and Sri Lanka, first-class domestic games are carrying little momentum.
The Sheffield Shield, Australia’s domestic four day format remains the key pathway to the international arena where youngsters battle it out to gain national recognition and ultimately selection. Unfortunately, Sheffield Shield game attendances are so poor that even bottom line ticket prices (MCG games can be entered with a valid train ticket) are not drawing supportive crowds.
Instead, state players are playing in some of the worlds most impressive grounds where a supporter can scream out and be heard by all in attendance.
Alarms have previously been raised over the scheduling of Sheffield Shield games contributing to poor attendances. Played during week days, men are at work, children and are at school and women have never been a strong demographic.
Recommendations of playing games at night to increase attendance figures have been met with hostility, however have proven successful with attendances for night one day games still healthy.
With the cost of stadium operation and broadcasting, it is safe to assume the Sheffield Shield cricket is not creating the games best revenue.
The time has come for Cricket Australia to look into moving the Sheffield Shield to the rural grounds of Australia. Currently played at each city’s major stadium, state players frequently play in front crowds occupying less than ten percent capacity.
Accepting that not all cricket fans have the time to attend their State games, many followers still check live score online and follow their local heroes on the internet. By sending Sheffield Shield games to rural communities, nothing is lost. One day games and Twenty20 games would remain in the major cities where the highest crowds are drawn.
Moving the games long domestic format to more remote communities, state players can play in front of their actual state, and not just their major city. Also increasing revenue amongst our local communities, the idea of the Victorian playing New South Wales in, say, Wodonga would draw greater enthusiasm than in Melbourne, especially if it were a once a year event.
Although facilities at the local ovals may not be as high class as the MCG, players would play in front of capacity crowds, games could continue to be broadcast and traditional cricket would receive the invigoration it so desperately needs.
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