Cricket Australia - Wrong Priorities

[Richard Pryor]

Crowds per game have dropped in the past 4 years. Partly why they're playing more games, to cover a decline.



I agree that 20K is a good figure. I think CA is worried how fragile the product is and that's why they want it in school holidays.

I don't think the additional games is to cover the decline, I'm convinced it is the primary cause for the decline. CA thought packing the season with more games wouldn't affect engagement at all, that the viewers would simply all turn on and turn up for everything, but they overlooked that it was the short and sweet carnival atmosphere that was a fundamental part of its appeal.

By trying to turn it into a League like the AFL I think they made it too much of an investment of time to follow the League for a lot of people, the games themselves were less of an 'event' so people wanting to go purely for the atmosphere knew that it was likely a lot of the games wouldn't be as exciting due to a smaller crowd, and the TV ratings took a huge dive.

They killed the golden goose out of greed I think.

 

[big_e]

Crowds per game have dropped in the past 4 years. Partly why they're playing more games, to cover a decline.



I agree that 20K is a good figure. I think CA is worried how fragile the product is and that's why they want it in school holidays.

Fell again to 18,000 last season. That said, a few of these crowds hurt a lot:

8,400 at Geelong
1,000 at Alice Springs
5,500 at Canberra (the game called off due to smoke from bushfires)
6,000 at Moe
7,000 at Gold Coast for Adelaide vs Melbourne Stars
8,000 at Launceston
10,000 at Coffs Harbour

I could go on.

Part of the poor attendances is because they were taking it to regional areas, so comparing average crowds isn't necessarily fair. Games at the major stadia tended to perform pretty well - Sydney Showgrounds crowds suck, fwiw - so perhaps they could just get back to basics next season and play at the normal cricket grounds?

 

[The Passenger]

I agree that 20K is a good figure. I think CA is worried how fragile the product is and that's why they want it in school holidays.

I don't follow the BBL at all closely, but when I do scan through the scorecards the first thing that strikes me a lot over the last few seasons is the lack of top quality players running around. Obviously COVID has ****ed things this season, but I've had this feeling creeping in more and more in recent seasons. I'm sure I remember occasionally tuning in years and years back and you were a pretty good chance both teams would contain a couple of current Aussies, a couple of ex-Aussies and a couple of internationals. Hasn't felt like that for a long time.

Happy to be corrected.

 

[k31th]

I don't follow the BBL at all closely, but when I do scan through the scorecards the first thing that strikes me a lot over the last few seasons is the lack of top quality players running around. Obviously COVID has f’ed things this season, but I've had this feeling creeping in more and more in recent seasons. I'm sure I remember occasionally tuning in years and years back and you were a pretty good chance both teams would contain a couple of current Aussies, a couple of ex-Aussies and a couple of internationals. Hasn't felt like that for a long time.

Happy to be corrected.

ex-Aussies: yeah, you're right, there were a few around for sure, but they've all got too old and retired now...

current Aussies: hardly anybody until the back-end of the season and even then it was seen as unfair on those who have played out the season to be stooged come finals time. The International schedule always tended to make these players unavailable and will continue to do so.

 

[Redline]

I don't think there is much we can do about the summer schedule with the BBL and internationals generally locked in but I think we need to move towards playing Cricket 12 months of the year and increase flexibility. We can have a small break but no reason we can't play Shield or one day games in northern Australia during winter and have them based around international tours.

Obviously it will take investment and costs money but we can't squeeze everything into six months of the year.

 

[RobsJourney]

I don't think there is much we can do about the summer schedule with the BBL and internationals generally locked in but I think we need to move towards playing Cricket 12 months of the year and increase flexibility. We can have a small break but no reason we can't play Shield or one day games in northern Australia during winter and have them based around international tours.

Obviously it will take investment and costs money but we can't squeeze everything into six months of the year.

Do England/India play their domestic long form for longer periods? I mean, our Shield competition is now farcical... no one goes to watch it (empty MCG), it's a short season, and is split in the middle by the stupid BBL, in the prime months where teams should be playing... I'd much prefer to see us play more over a longer period.

 

[Leeda]

I don't think the additional games is to cover the decline, I'm convinced it is the primary cause for the decline. CA thought packing the season with more games wouldn't affect engagement at all, that the viewers would simply all turn on and turn up for everything, but they overlooked that it was the short and sweet carnival atmosphere that was a fundamental part of its appeal.

By trying to turn it into a League like the AFL I think they made it too much of an investment of time to follow the League for a lot of people, the games themselves were less of an 'event' so people wanting to go purely for the atmosphere knew that it was likely a lot of the games wouldn't be as exciting due to a smaller crowd, and the TV ratings took a huge dive.

They killed the golden goose out of greed I think.

shush you're making too much sense

 

[Redline]

I don't think the additional games is to cover the decline, I'm convinced it is the primary cause for the decline. CA thought packing the season with more games wouldn't affect engagement at all, that the viewers would simply all turn on and turn up for everything, but they overlooked that it was the short and sweet carnival atmosphere that was a fundamental part of its appeal.

By trying to turn it into a League like the AFL I think they made it too much of an investment of time to follow the League for a lot of people, the games themselves were less of an 'event' so people wanting to go purely for the atmosphere knew that it was likely a lot of the games wouldn't be as exciting due to a smaller crowd, and the TV ratings took a huge dive.

They killed the golden goose out of greed I think.

All good points, I do like that the tournament runs through the school holidays. I think it is important it starts a week pre Christmas and needs to be wrapped up a few days before school goes back. I think that's the time slot, maybe too many games are played in this period though.

 

[Gethelred]

Cricket's a relatively expensive game to kit up for compared to the likes of soccer or basketball. There aren't a lot of black golfers either, for the same reason.

Dude, are you familiar with how expensive kid's soccer is in Melbourne? They're pricing out cricket clubs for venues, purely because school grounds and councils can charge them more and they can pay where cricket and footy clubs can't.

 

[Ron The Bear]

Dude, are you familiar with how expensive kid's soccer is in Melbourne? They're pricing out cricket clubs for venues, purely because school grounds and councils can charge them more and they can pay where cricket and footy clubs can't.

That's a comparatively recent development, though.

To play soccer or footy, all you need is a pair of boots.

Cricket would be cheap if you never had to bat.

 

[Gethelred]

That's a comparatively recent development, though.

To play soccer or footy, all you need is a pair of boots.

... unless you want to play at a club, then you're faced with $800 fees at a minimum.

It's like saying that all you need to play cricket's a bat and a ball. Sure, you can play with just a cricket bat and a ball, but there's more to it, isn't there?

 

[Gethelred]

I find it funny that in the 80’s and 90’s when ODI cricket was so popular they didn’t feel the need to have them all on over school holidays. If the big bash is as popular as they think it is then it can be run Feb/March to end the season and after the real cricket s finished.

Problem becomes scheduling between the footy and the cricket. Both nominally use the same grounds, and would be competing in the same timeslots during footy preseason tournaments.

 

[Ron The Bear]

... unless you want to play at a club, then you're faced with $800 fees at a minimum.

It's like saying that all you need to play cricket's a bat and a ball. Sure, you can play with just a cricket bat and a ball, but there's more to it, isn't there?

How long has that been going on, though? Soccer's popularity in Australia is a recent phenomenon. With reference to the post I responded to, I expect this will 'alienate' a sizable proportion of Aboriginals. Is soccer doing anything special to make that sport accessible to Aboriginals, or is it a case of every family for themselves?

 

[Stan_Darsh72]

I don't think the additional games is to cover the decline, I'm convinced it is the primary cause for the decline. CA thought packing the season with more games wouldn't affect engagement at all, that the viewers would simply all turn on and turn up for everything, but they overlooked that it was the short and sweet carnival atmosphere that was a fundamental part of its appeal.

I feel like BBL has been over saturated with too many games and not being on 10 who did a great job covering it

It worked best when it was mostly in Jan with school holidays and summer, now it goes on too long and has lost its charm.

 

[Gethelred]

How long has that been going on, though? Soccer's popularity in Australia is a recent phenomenon. With reference to the post I responded to, I expect this will 'alienate' a sizable proportion of Aboriginals. Is soccer doing anything special to make that sport accessible to Aboriginals, or is it a case of every family for themselves?

... soccer's making massive inroads here, and as demand increases in cities it begins to grow more expensive. Cricket's expensive, sure, but the expenditure you put out is intermittent; you buy a bat and - if you don't buy top grade willow - you look after it, you're still using it in 10 years. You buy pads, gloves, thighpads, a box and a helmet for within $150 if you're choosy, and they'll last upwards of 2 seasons most of the time.

I bought a bat in my early 20's, sold it after using it for 4 years to someone else in my club, and I then bought it back when he got a new bat and gave it to one of the kids I coach. It's 12 years old, but he's hitting runs with it; it's not as pretty as it once was, but it works just fine.

The point I'm getting at is that saying that cricket prices aboriginals out is bullshit. I was on the Newstart while playing for a bit, and I played footy for a season on it. I could not have played soccer, as it was price prohibitive.

 

[PhatBoy]

... soccer's making massive inroads here, and as demand increases in cities it begins to grow more expensive. Cricket's expensive, sure, but the expenditure you put out is intermittent; you buy a bat and - if you don't buy top grade willow - you look after it, you're still using it in 10 years. You buy pads, gloves, thighpads, a box and a helmet for within $150 if you're choosy, and they'll last upwards of 2 seasons most of the time.

I bought a bat in my early 20's, sold it after using it for 4 years to someone else in my club, and I then bought it back when he got a new bat and gave it to one of the kids I coach. It's 12 years old, but he's hitting runs with it; it's not as pretty as it once was, but it works just fine.

The point I'm getting at is that saying that cricket prices aboriginals out is bullshit. I was on the Newstart while playing for a bit, and I played footy for a season on it. I could not have played soccer, as it was price prohibitive.

The teenagers in my team laugh at me because:

- my bat is a V1200 from about 15-16 years ago and has small edges and an oiled face
- my thighpad..... does not exist
- my spikes were left behind at a ground about 6 years ago by someone who didn't want them anymore
- helmet also doesn't exist
- until getting a pair for my birthday last year my gloves had a hole in each palm.

I spent far more on ciggies before going out to bat, or horrendously ineffective energy drinks than I ever did on equipment

 

[Ron The Bear]

The point I'm getting at is that saying that cricket prices aboriginals out is bullshit. I was on the Newstart while playing for a bit, and I played footy for a season on it. I could not have played soccer, as it was price prohibitive.

Whites, bag, club baggy, spikes if you're on turf, batting spikes perhaps, few pairs of good woollen socks if you're a bowler. Annual subs, match subs. Specialist coaching, perhaps. Sobers lived here for many years but my parents couldn't afford him.

The initial comment referred to representation at the top level. You don't see many standouts using sub-standard gear on their way through the grades.

 

[Gethelred]

The teenagers in my team laugh at me because:

- my bat is a V1200 from about 15-16 years ago and has small edges and an oiled face
- my thighpad..... does not exist
- my spikes were left behind at a ground about 6 years ago by someone who didn't want them anymore
- helmet also doesn't exist
- until getting a pair for my birthday last year my gloves had a hole in each palm.

I spent far more on ciggies before going out to bat, or horrendously ineffective energy drinks than I ever did on equipment

Yep. I bought a bat about 5-6 years ago, online from an Indian vendor, for about $80. It's still going strong, and suits me to a T; I'm not a six hitter, so I don't need the excess middle or thick edges. Had to replace my gloves this year as they were falling apart, but the last pair lasted me about 6-7 years.

Used to not wear thighpads, but one bowler at my club used to nigh religiously bowl short enough for me to see the length but it'd skid through on leg stump when I went the pull. He'd routinely hit me in the thigh once per training session, but it took until he hit me 4 times in the exact same spot one night before I sold out. It took 6 months for that bruise to fade, and I've never looked back, but then you don't need to replace thighpads. Don't get the wear a set of pads or gloves do.

 

[Gethelred]

Whites, bag, club baggy, spikes if you're on turf, batting spikes perhaps, few pairs of good woollen socks if you're a bowler. Annual subs, match subs. Specialist coaching, perhaps. Sobers lived here for many years but my parents couldn't afford him.

The initial comment referred to representation at the top level. You don't see many standouts using sub-standard gear on their way through the grades.

W're talking about the barriers to entry into the sport, not playing at the top level. As you ascend through the grades or into reps, if you can't afford it there are ways you can get support, and gear really isn't that expensive.

The last set of spikes I bought, I got on special for $50 and were perfectly adequate. You'll buy a cricket bag twice in 10 seasons. You'll get awarded a club baggy when you play ones if you're at a decent club. You'll work with your committee to pay either upfront or as you go. If you want specialist coaching, you can get it cheap looking within your club - and it is available, I coach within my club - or you can certainly pay for a session. Your club has a vested interest in your improvement, and while some are a piece of s**t at my club the ones captain takes an active interest in the development of the juniors and players who have just left the juniors.

You're simply incorrect here, Ron. You don't get into the top level or improve representation at the top level without getting indigenous australians in at the bottom in numbers, and at the bottom there is not a price barrier to prevent a talented kid coming in and buying their stuff gradually.

 

[swingdog]

... unless you want to play at a club, then you're faced with $800 fees at a minimum.

It's like saying that all you need to play cricket's a bat and a ball. Sure, you can play with just a cricket bat and a ball, but there's more to it, isn't there?

You should come to our club Gethelred - $450 for juniors = bargain!

 

[Gethelred]

You should come to our club Gethelred - $450 for juniors = bargain!

You guys in Melbourne?

Not particularly interested in playing, but for context.

 

[swingdog]

You guys in Melbourne?

Not particularly interested in playing, but for context.

Yep, at Princes Park.

 

[Gethelred]

Yep, at Princes Park.

Good part of the world, then.

 

[Leeda]

Perhaps there are too many games overall..
Don't mind a game with SA. or even NZ but is all this about the Ashes..
crumpling my ticket if I don't get the best of the best..