Big Bash Future

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Bunch of male cricket tragics with an average age I guess of somewhere around 40 - I don't think those in this thread make up the target demographic.

Whenever I watch the BBL, there are tons of kids wearing merch, which never happened in state comps. There are crowds far in excess of what state comps ever had. And it's domestic cricket on prime time TV FFS. When was the last time we had that?

CA ****ing love the Big Bash.
 

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Pippen94 said:
Still on network TV & broadcasters paying top dollar for bbl last time I looked..
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Correct me if I'm wrong (I very well may be), but didn't Seven want to bail out on the cricket rights, including BBL, on the basis that they weren't getting the quality they were promised? I'm sure that legally it's very complex, but it basically amounts to buyer's remorse.

With Ten plumping for A-League, and Seven almost certainly not thrilled with the deal they have, then the free-to-air rights of BBL look destined to go to one of Nine's lesser channels, SBS, or the ABC with the camera behind the batter.
 
big_e said:
Bunch of male cricket tragics with an average age I guess of somewhere around 40 - I don't think those in this thread make up the target demographic.

Whenever I watch the BBL, there are tons of kids wearing merch, which never happened in state comps. There are crowds far in excess of what state comps ever had. And it's domestic cricket on prime time TV FFS. When was the last time we had that?

CA ******* love the Big Bash.
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Had 43,000 to watch Victoria v Tasmania at the MCG. When was the last time they had that to a BBL game at the G?

It’s a furphy that no one went to the state t20 comp, it was taking off hence why they cashed in with the BBL. With Victoria absolutely dominating they saw potential of derby games to cash in, ignoring how badly it’d dilute the standard. But anything to stop the Mighty Vics.
 
Marstermind said:
Correct me if I'm wrong (I very well may be), but didn't Seven want to bail out on the cricket rights, including BBL, on the basis that they weren't getting the quality they were promised? I'm sure that legally it's very complex, but it basically amounts to buyer's remorse.

With Ten plumping for A-League, and Seven almost certainly not thrilled with the deal they have, then the free-to-air rights of BBL look destined to go to one of Nine's lesser channels, SBS, or the ABC with the camera behind the batter.
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Nice bait
 
Marstermind said:
Correct me if I'm wrong (I very well may be), but didn't Seven want to bail out on the cricket rights, including BBL, on the basis that they weren't getting the quality they were promised? I'm sure that legally it's very complex, but it basically amounts to buyer's remorse.

With Ten plumping for A-League, and Seven almost certainly not thrilled with the deal they have, then the free-to-air rights of BBL look destined to go to one of Nine's lesser channels, SBS, or the ABC with the camera behind the batter.
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Seven were more pissed off with the India tests being rescheduled, and the BBL stuff was a knock-on effect. Meaning the delayed tests would remove test players from the BBL.
 
Cut it back to one team per state. Get rid of the dumb gimmicks like bash boost. Play it after the test matches, clear out the schedule and play it outside of all international cricket and make sure our best players are playing. Reward the players for playing, you don't play big bash, you don't play international T20s - so maybe like a 5 game minimum qualifies you for Australia in the next season. This makes the competition stronger and improves our national T20 side prospects as well.

Or:
More dancers
More fireworks
Multi-ball
More neon lights
Louder music in between overs
 
eddiesmith said:
Had 43,000 to watch Victoria v Tasmania at the MCG. When was the last time they had that to a BBL game at the G?

It’s a furphy that no one went to the state t20 comp, it was taking off hence why they cashed in with the BBL. With Victoria absolutely dominating they saw potential of derby games to cash in, ignoring how badly it’d dilute the standard. But anything to stop the Mighty Vics.
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They had 80,000 in 2016. That's just off the top of my head
 

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Marstermind said:
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 sh*t 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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****en fantastic post as always MM. Nice to see it applied over here.
 
big_e said:
COVID.

Pre-COVID MCG crowds were regularly in the 30,000 plus range.
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What about the pre-COVID 2019 range?

Renegades - 54,578
Thunder - 21,322
Sixers - 21,566
Scorchers - 28,042
Heat - 27,676

Not regularly in the 30k+ range. Although I suspect a more relevant figure would be TV ratings and a big enough crowd figure to supply background noise and loose units to make a beer snake or fall on his arse whilst attempting to catch a 6.
 
Marstermind said:
What about the pre-COVID 2019 range?

Renegades - 54,578
Thunder - 21,322
Sixers - 21,566
Scorchers - 28,042
Heat - 27,676

Not regularly in the 30k+ range. Although I suspect a more relevant figure would be TV ratings and a big enough crowd figure to supply background noise and loose units to make a beer snake or fall on his arse whilst attempting to catch a 6.
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Now do the two seasons before that. Multiple 30k plus each season. Even multiple 40k plus.
 
I can't stand the stuff, but from people who have followed it in the past or do follow it (especially those with kids), these are the main changes that I think it needs.

1. Reduce the games to 7 each plus finals
Making the games more scarce means more excitement around each match as it has more importance. Limited opportunity to see the games means people are more committed to get to them.
Also improves the quality of the cricket as the bigger stars are more likely to turn up since it's less work than what is currently required in other competing leagues (ie. Bangladesh/Sri Lanka/UAE T10s etc.)
2. Move competition back to month of January only
This increases viewership as it is targeted exclusively over the school holidays where the targeted market of kids and young families can attend and watch.
It also puts it closer to the start of the IPL which makes it a great opportunity for internationals to showcase their wares prior to the IPL which means they can afford to play for relatively less coin over here if they hope to perform well close to the start of the IPL to get a big IPL contract.
Also means that the final week or two of the competition does not clash with test cricket, so there is the opportunity to see some of the main Australian stars
3. Remove gimmicks that have no purpose (powerplay/sub rule)
Shorter games were meant to be the whole point of the appeal of T20. Currently the games go too late, so most kids are watching only the first half of the game because the games run too late.
It also brings the game in line with other T20 competitions. If they are serious about T20 being it's own thing, stop adding needless gimmicks.
 
big_e said:
Now do the two seasons before that. Multiple 30k plus each season. Even multiple 40k plus.
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Yeah but everyone admits that BBL circa-2015/2016 was at its zenith. No question. An absolute juggernaut. But this is about its decline since and what can be done about it. To attribute it to just to Covid doesn't stack up because its numbers in the season just before Covid are well down on the halcyon years.
 
Marstermind said:
Yeah but everyone admits that BBL circa-2015/2016 was at its zenith. No question. An absolute juggernaut. But this is about its decline since and what can be done about it. To attribute it to just to Covid doesn't stack up because its numbers in the season just before Covid are well down on the halcyon years.
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With Circus Oz shut down, I reckon there is an opportunity for a two week season in the September School Holidays. Shield or CA contracted players should be banned.
 
People have lost interest in T20 cricket in local cricket as well.Some clubs do not even field sides and prefer to focus on training for the Saturday competitions on Tuesday nights.
 
Voice of the G said:
People have lost interest in T20 cricket in local cricket as well.Some clubs do not even field sides and prefer to focus on training for the Saturday competitions on Tuesday nights.
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Yep, nobody likes playing it the format might hopefully die off. Just need India to become crap at it.
 
Marstermind said:
Yeah but everyone admits that BBL circa-2015/2016 was at its zenith. No question. An absolute juggernaut. But this is about its decline since and what can be done about it. To attribute it to just to Covid doesn't stack up because its numbers in the season just before Covid are well down on the halcyon years.
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I think COVID is a decent part of the reason for lower crowds this year, along with the usual soft opening pre-Christmas. And a lack of star players in recent years has hurt as well.

I'd like to see it start on Boxing Day - have the test then into a BBL double-header, say Brisbane and Perth, which always get good crowds.

Finish on the last weekend of January.

But have no tests in January, not even Sydney. No internationals at all. Start the tests earlier, last test is Melbourne, then have another couple in February. It gives the BBL a window that allows for the best players, and extends the cricket summer target than letting the AFL pre-season take over.
 
eddiesmith said:
Yep, nobody likes playing it the format might hopefully die off. Just need India to become crap at it.
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The ICC is applying to have T20 cricket in the 2028 and 2032 Olympics.

T20 is the best vehicle for cricket to expand around the world. Giving T20I status to all international matches, regardless of whether you are a test nation or "qualified" for ODI status shows where they are going with this.
 
big_e said:
The ICC is applying to have T20 cricket in the 2028 and 2032 Olympics.

T20 is the best vehicle for cricket to expand around the world. Giving T20I status to all international matches, regardless of whether you are a test nation or "qualified" for ODI status shows where they are going with this.
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I think most would agree that a large percentage of the ACB income comes from BBC in the past but surely the games have to be played in the school holidays in January or even after the last test lets say it is in Sydney in the New Year week end.We need shield games going from early October till at least the end of December and we can judge border line test players form there when selecting test sides.
 

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