The BBL, like the other Summer sports options, has been marketed terribly. You'd barely know the BBL, NBL or A-League are on - at least the BBL has some FTA exposure. You'd reckon that after another winter of limited live sports action these sports would be all over getting the fans back in. But no. But the BBL has challenges in promoting itself due to the limitations below.
Cricket continues to cannibalise itself. This year, the Ashes are the hot ticket. Watching a day's Ashes cricket and then settling in for the relative irrelevance of a BBL game just doesn't work. It's like having Christmas dinner and expecting to be excited about the ham and cheese toastie in the evening. The BBL is totally disposable.
The expansion of the BBL season to 61 games also cannibalises itself. If a train home arrived every 5 minutes, you're never going to rush for a train. Same for the BBL. If there's a game every night then there's no need to go out of your way to see it. If you miss it, then there's always another one arriving soon. Just catch that one. CA got greedy.
There is no tribalism to it at all - and admittedly there never will be. Tribalism is the AFL's or NRL's pulse. The team feels like it belongs to you. The cycle of success to failure and back again is intrinsic to your attachment to the sport. That half the teams come from Sydney or Melbourne doesn't work either. Of the 56 qualifying games, only 12 don't involve Melbourne or Sydney. Great for broadcasters in the biggest cities, not so much for tribalism in those cities. Can only speak for myself, but despite a slight leaning to the Renegades, due to disposable nature of the game, I'll happily go to a Stars game at the MCG, and, to be involved with the crowd, I'll get on board with the Stars. Imagine that at Goodison Park or Anfield.
The format is no longer a novelty. It follows a rather prescribed path. It's increased sophistication is actually harming it. The 50-over game hit a wall in the mid '90s when teams worked it out. It no longer was hit-and-giggle - make use of the fielding restrictions in the first 15-overs, tap it around for 25-overs keeping the scoreboard ticking over at low-risk. Accelerate at the end. The randomness, the "anything could happen" is largely gone as teams have worked out how to go about it. And like the AFL trying to change rules to counter coaches who have "worked it out", the rule changes just chase the tail. Rule change comes in, short term impact, team works a way around it, new rule required, rule change comes in. T20 actually worked better when it was 'dumber'.
The scheduling is for the tip. Who goes to the BBL? Personally, I've only ever gone with my kids, or with a group of mates wanting an excuse to spend a few hours together, talking shit and sinking a few frothies. So what's the deal with starting the season with two weeks to go in the school term, and playing games on weekday nights? I live in the mid-eastern burbs of Melbourne. Tonight's Stars game will end around 10.30. The trip home takes an hour. Back home at 11.30. Work tomorrow, school (admittedly the last day), so why would I go? It's live on TV. I have to head to work tomorrow so not going to have a few beers with mates. Not taking the kids. See the 3rd paragraph - the next train will be around soon. I'll catch that one. The BBL worked best when it was totally confined to Summer holidays, but the expansion to 61 games doesn't allow that to happen.
The quality isn't that good. No Test squad players. No top players from the touring team either. Clashes with the South African and NZ home seasons so no players from there or the teams they play. No Indians. Pakistan playing West Indies in a T20 right now. Therefore this year - few elite players from Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan or the West Indies are involved. No X-factor or star power at all. Mostly mid-level Shield players and district level clubbies. Of the ICC Top 100 T20 batsmen, only M.Marsh (15), Maxwell (26), Nabi (28), David (48), Munro (58) and Wade (74) have participated so far this season. Of the Top 100 bowlers it's Zampa (3), Rashid (4), Mujeeb (7), Jordan (12), Agar (17), Nabi (32), Richardson (66), Curran (80), Lamichhane (88). Of the all-rounders just Nabi (1), Maxwell (4) and Marsh (10). So, imagine a competition where only 14 of the best 200 or so players are involved. Pretty hard to market that.
I actually like the BBL, but it doesn't capture the imagination. It began as a novelty, hit a peak around 2015/16, but has been on a steady decline since. Lots of challenges ahead for CA to build it up again.
Cricket continues to cannibalise itself. This year, the Ashes are the hot ticket. Watching a day's Ashes cricket and then settling in for the relative irrelevance of a BBL game just doesn't work. It's like having Christmas dinner and expecting to be excited about the ham and cheese toastie in the evening. The BBL is totally disposable.
The expansion of the BBL season to 61 games also cannibalises itself. If a train home arrived every 5 minutes, you're never going to rush for a train. Same for the BBL. If there's a game every night then there's no need to go out of your way to see it. If you miss it, then there's always another one arriving soon. Just catch that one. CA got greedy.
There is no tribalism to it at all - and admittedly there never will be. Tribalism is the AFL's or NRL's pulse. The team feels like it belongs to you. The cycle of success to failure and back again is intrinsic to your attachment to the sport. That half the teams come from Sydney or Melbourne doesn't work either. Of the 56 qualifying games, only 12 don't involve Melbourne or Sydney. Great for broadcasters in the biggest cities, not so much for tribalism in those cities. Can only speak for myself, but despite a slight leaning to the Renegades, due to disposable nature of the game, I'll happily go to a Stars game at the MCG, and, to be involved with the crowd, I'll get on board with the Stars. Imagine that at Goodison Park or Anfield.
The format is no longer a novelty. It follows a rather prescribed path. It's increased sophistication is actually harming it. The 50-over game hit a wall in the mid '90s when teams worked it out. It no longer was hit-and-giggle - make use of the fielding restrictions in the first 15-overs, tap it around for 25-overs keeping the scoreboard ticking over at low-risk. Accelerate at the end. The randomness, the "anything could happen" is largely gone as teams have worked out how to go about it. And like the AFL trying to change rules to counter coaches who have "worked it out", the rule changes just chase the tail. Rule change comes in, short term impact, team works a way around it, new rule required, rule change comes in. T20 actually worked better when it was 'dumber'.
The scheduling is for the tip. Who goes to the BBL? Personally, I've only ever gone with my kids, or with a group of mates wanting an excuse to spend a few hours together, talking shit and sinking a few frothies. So what's the deal with starting the season with two weeks to go in the school term, and playing games on weekday nights? I live in the mid-eastern burbs of Melbourne. Tonight's Stars game will end around 10.30. The trip home takes an hour. Back home at 11.30. Work tomorrow, school (admittedly the last day), so why would I go? It's live on TV. I have to head to work tomorrow so not going to have a few beers with mates. Not taking the kids. See the 3rd paragraph - the next train will be around soon. I'll catch that one. The BBL worked best when it was totally confined to Summer holidays, but the expansion to 61 games doesn't allow that to happen.
The quality isn't that good. No Test squad players. No top players from the touring team either. Clashes with the South African and NZ home seasons so no players from there or the teams they play. No Indians. Pakistan playing West Indies in a T20 right now. Therefore this year - few elite players from Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan or the West Indies are involved. No X-factor or star power at all. Mostly mid-level Shield players and district level clubbies. Of the ICC Top 100 T20 batsmen, only M.Marsh (15), Maxwell (26), Nabi (28), David (48), Munro (58) and Wade (74) have participated so far this season. Of the Top 100 bowlers it's Zampa (3), Rashid (4), Mujeeb (7), Jordan (12), Agar (17), Nabi (32), Richardson (66), Curran (80), Lamichhane (88). Of the all-rounders just Nabi (1), Maxwell (4) and Marsh (10). So, imagine a competition where only 14 of the best 200 or so players are involved. Pretty hard to market that.
I actually like the BBL, but it doesn't capture the imagination. It began as a novelty, hit a peak around 2015/16, but has been on a steady decline since. Lots of challenges ahead for CA to build it up again.
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