If reports on the revamping of rules, but not the length, of the upcoming season of the Big Bash League are accurate, then Cricket Australia is in serious trouble of killing the goose that laid the golden egg and creating a vacuum in its schedule in future seasons.
The expansion of the BBL from 35 games to a massive overkill of 61 games last season may have given their television partners a heap of nightly cricket entertainment over the summer holiday period, but it also wore thin on even the most tragic of cricket tragics.
When the T20 game was invented it was supposed to be fast and furious, with matches run and won within three hours. That is something that is perfect for TV. However this rarely runs true, with matches getting longer and slower as teams take more time to set fields and work over tactics.
Now there is talk of longer breaks for advertisers, and to allow more tactical breaks, thus not only lengthening the matches but also slowing down their momentum to allow these things to occur. This is the kind of thing that T20 cricket was supposed to avoid and will surely lose viewers rather than gain them if they go ahead.
The games do not need to be extended and they do not need more tricks and twists. They need to be brought back to the time issue, of getting the game completed in the time period allowed.
(Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
That is what made this format appealing in the first place – a much quicker game that (supposedly) took all of the boring pieces out of the 50-over game and left only the exciting bits.
With the slowing down of the game due to tactical time-outs (advertising spots) and captains taking more time to set fields to stop teams on the rampage (which, while understandable, should still be penalised if the innings goes over the allocated 80 minutes), and with matches starting far too late to allow young kids or people who have to work early the following day from seeing the matches to their conclusion, is it any wonder that fans get to the point where they turn their TVs off or choose not to attend the games in person?
Ideally for the TV networks and the ability to draw big crowds, every game will have Chris Lynn blasting a 30-ball century while also having Jofra Archer bowling 160-kilometre-per-hour thunderbolts and skittling stumps, as spectacular catches are taken all over the field, with every game coming down to the final ball.
However, that isn’t cricket in any form. Cricket can’t be manufactured. Cricket will have boring, one-sided clashes, Chris Lynn will get dismissed cheaply, Jofra Archer will bowl wide and short.
Bringing in more changes and tweaks, such as the suggestion of substitutes halfway through a game, just risks making the BBL more like a circus than a cricket match. And yes, the media said this back in 1977 when Kerry Packer began World Series Cricket, and that was proven to be incorrect.
But what he couldn’t change was the cricket. There were just as many lop-sided games in WSC as there are in BBL, Viv Richards didn’t always score runs, Dennis Lillee didn’t always take wickets.
T20 cricket in Australia risks losing the very fans it has procured in recent years if it does not reduce the length of the season in regards to matches played, and stops games from extending beyond their three-hour maximum length. Too much of a good thing does not extend itself to being a better thing – sometimes it can be to its detriment.
Micko
Roar Rookie
Ironically they need to go the other way and make it a lightning season over in one month or less. Less is more, especially with an ADHD fest like T20 cricket. As long as it's locked in to a particular calendar slot each year to build tradition a la Boxing Day Test, New Year's Test, AO Tennis, Bathurst 1000 etc.
JOHN ALLAN
Guest
People who watch Test cricket are not interested in BBL rubbish. Loud music, ground announcers revving the crowd up, breaks in play for teams to gather & review tactics, players on the microphone uttering the obvious & don't forget the opportunity to watch the Brisbane Heat lose from a swimming pool. Appeals to people who can't tell the difference between a stump & a bat & have no idea about the game. Even they are losing interest.
Paul
Roar Guru
I'm a complete novice when it comes to the types of technologies you're talking about Jeff, so happy to go with what you've said. I guess I have a question though. Countries like Australia & England will probably be in a better financial position to take widely take up these options when the become available. We both know when something new kicks off, the first iterations of products are always expensive. How will this impact on cricket where the overwhelming majority of cricket playing nations are not affluent? There are many affluent Indians, but they're dwarfed by the numbers in their country who are not. Ditto for Sri Lanka, Pakistan, etc. I assume if people don't have the means to take up these advance viewing options, there'll still be a need for the current technology? After all, some people still watch black & white TV, listen to transistors and even play records! :happy:
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I've seen more interest in a rusty Sigma.
sheek
Roar Guru
I am quite proud of the fact I have never seen a T20 game in full, ie, both innings completed. I dismiss T20 as money making fluff, the kind of ill-logic that puts a lot of money in some people's pockets, but does little for the progress of humanity. It's interesting how the promoters of shortened forms of cricket & rugby tell us it's about providing more entertainment, but it's also a dilution of technique & skills, especially in cricket. Sure, there's plenty of athleticism on show, but the art of a batsman building an innings or a bowler thinking a batsman out is significantly reduced. Chinese food is yummy while you're eating it. But quickly forgotten once digested. Shortened sporting codes are similar. No one remembers the great T20 matches. Surely? They're all the same!
Jeff
Roar Rookie
From a "broadcast" perspective, how CA, and all other sports administrators, embrace rapidly evolving technologies will be key over the next 10-20 years. Whilst we argue on the fringes about FTA v Pay-TV, the revolution in VR and harnessing of digital advances (such as AI), will leave many in their wake. The advancement of how the world accesses entertainment in the next 10 years will outstrip what has gone before in the previous 50 years. At-ground experience will still be important, but it will become an experience limited to the few; real-time or time-shift experiences via "broadcasting" is where things will go.
Shounak
Roar Rookie
Bad choice by the CA! They seem clueless. Listen CA, BBL will always fail to hit the heights of 2014-2017, unless you reduce the number of games per season. Go back to 10 per team rather than the current 14, as it means that there is more riding on each game. Sometimes less is more! These cosmetic alterations are not going to do a damn thing except making the tournament even more gimmicky and sillier than it already is! Focus on the actual cricket for gods sakes. BBL needs to learn from the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), who have a distinctive product and have built millions and millions in new global audiences every year! CA got greedy by increasing the games and trying to cash in on the TV deals.
Jack Russell
Roar Guru
In the end CA have treated the BBL as a novelty. So it's no surprise that the public see it that way and there will be huge fluctuations in support. The name "big bash league" alone screams that it's a bit of a joke. If they want long term success, they need to start treating it as a serious sporting league.
Zavjalova
Roar Rookie
They've squeezed all the juice out of the bbl lemon. People of lost interest. The india test series will be much more interesting this summer
Marty
Roar Rookie
Totally agree. Cricket is cricket. You might be distracted by the shiny lights and big sixes for a little while but, in the long run, if you don’t enjoy watching cricket then you won’t stick with T20. That’s the problem with changing the game too much to to attract ‘new fans’. Sooner or later they will lose interest and move onto the next fad, and in the meantime all you’ve done is alienate your stable fan base, who were watching cricket long before T20 came along. The really baffling part here is that the changes that CA seem to be considering will only hasten this process. It’s amazing what a room full of marketing types can come up with.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
Well said, spot on.
Tom
Start it just before Xmas and have it all done and dusted by Aus Day. Each team plays each other once plus and extra match for the derby clashes and manufacture a rivalry for Heat/Strikers and Scorchers/Hurricanes for that round. 4 team finals series. Final on Aus day and back to shield by early Feb. Easy
Paul D
Roar Rookie
The BBL golden goose is already looking pretty sick. I maintain the timeframe for the BBL every year should be from about December 18/19 - whenever the first weekend before xmas kicks off, and finish up around australia day. Having it drag into February is dire.
josh
Roar Rookie
Bring back single wicket cricket.
Wayne
Roar Guru
Get it back to 80mins, but allow a "time out" break for the sponsors. It can double as the bathroom/food break for people that they can miss maybe an over or two. Personal experience, once there were loads of games, it wasn't "must see TV". If the circus was in town for 1 week only, you knew you had to make an effort to block time out in calendar to go. Now the circus is in town for 7 weeks; you can miss a day because there will likely be another chance.
AREH
Roar Guru
While one would at least expect the tournament to remain more condensed, again, the number of matches looks unchanged. Either the powers are not listening or have little choice due to locked long-term broadcast deals. I've no idea how many of the proposed tweaks would actually be well received by fans.
Paul
Roar Guru
Bill, it should come as no surprise CA is trying to kill yet another cash cow. Ever since the Packer era and the start of full time professional cricket, as soon as the public reacted positively to something in the game, CA over milked it. Look at the number of West Indies tours in the 1980's, the ridiculous number of ODI games, including triple header weekends and now it's the BBLs turn. In fairness, it's not just CA's fault. Sponsors want serious bang for buck and CA has struggled over the years to meet their needs while still presenting a product that the public wants to watch. I suspect if the downward trend in crowds & viewers for BBL games continues, CA will need to seriously sort out the format and the length as you suggest, but that obviously won't happen this season.