No 115, Mar 10 - The Grumbler's County Cricket Newsletter

🟣 My ideas to promote county cricket 🟡 New stadiums on the way? 🟠 Kent, Worcestershire, Somerset sign overseas 🔴 New county presidents 🔵 Middlesex in profit, Glamorgan's big losses

Mar 10, 2024

Spring is springing, the new season is close. If you can not be optimistic now then when can you be?

My Twitter critics sometimes accuse me of being overly pessimistic or backwards-looking. Regarding the former, I plead insanity induced by the leadership of the county game over the past couple of decades.

Meanwhile, the idea that opponents of the ECB’s current path have never put forward an alternative is utter garbage. Former Surrey CEO Richard Gould did so very vocally before he switched horses mid-race. The tournament-that-shall-not-be-named was created in a cocoon of conference rooms and then presented as a ‘done deal’ amid accusations of bullying. Money was dangled at cash-strapped counties to get it through.

I make no apology for going over old ground yet again because, having squeezed the counties still further since then, the ‘new ECB’ are working from a very similar playbook to get a further two franchises agreed. Not that the proposals seem to have much clarity, see tweet above. Like the worst bosses in a union dispute, they are offering short-term financial lifelines in exchange for long-term transfers of power. A basic lack of care means there is little discernible plan for the future of the red-ball game and the remaining eight counties.

Their offer is a pot of gold when we really need a rainbow.

Or preferably both.

Of course, this situation will not change any time soon, if at all. Probably, it requires a new governing body with a new approach or, at least, an independent regulator that can hold it to account for its strategy, not the narrow (yet important) scope that the upcoming one will possess.

All this does little for my immediate concern - growing interest and relevancy in county cricket. Keeping the lights on is one (albeit critical) thing, creating a sport worth preserving is another. If the game is pointless, there is no reason to search down the back of the sofa for a few pennies to keep it alive.

So here, in the spirit of the batter who walks off without any rebuke when they edged that LBW or the warmth of that second jumper on the first morning of the season, are some ideas to market and grow county cricket. But, more importantly, provide it with meaning.

Some are just a better extension of what already exists, some are beyond fanciful and some simply beyond the meagre means of county cricket. But we have to do something.

Protect and develop the YouTube live coverage

Put nothing in the way of this critical marketing tool. No subscription, no log-in, nowt.
Try to create a proper community around the audience
Grow a county data list with competitions, giveaways etc. See CRM
Collaborate to drive down production costs and drive up sponsorship revenue
Add YouTube interviews in the style of boxing fan channels like IFL TV or Boxing Social. It’s crass at times but look at the numbers. Bring down the barriers of traditional sports communications in order to sell the game.

Let’s hear younger voices

County cricket’s coverage is full of old men and public school voices who, though they may hit other diversity targets re: gender and race, do not come from the 93 per cent who attend state schools. Then there are the Gen Xers.
Broadcast alternative commentaries with these voices on the live streams for a couple of big games each week. So old men like me can listen to my generation and younger ones can have theirs.
Link to Tweet

TikTok

Yeah, I do not really understand it either but the teens are utterly addicted. Booktok has started that generation reading again when, supposedly, attention spans are diminishing. If it can do that then it can find a few new young fans for county cricket too. This needs special emphasis as it is a ‘hack’ to a young audience.

Concentrating on social good

During the pandemic, sports clubs gained a new importance. It demonstrated what we should have known - they are more than entertainment, they act as ‘props’, holding up our days, weeks and years. For many, the sporting calendar writes the diary for our lives and provides a regular and critical elevation out of the ordinary and mundane. The old idea of sport as a modern replacement for religion rang true in lockdown. Many clubs took over the role of community hubs and there was a clear need to prioritise the return of our weekly worship.

Covid also brought mental and physical health into a new focus. Whether it is counselling or council services, blood donation or benefit help, creating a social care hub at your local county ground could be a win-win. Especially for an ageing population. Again, there could be collaboration with, and revenue from, local councils. Many are looking for creative solutions given their particular financial strains right now.

Here’s a podcast I did with Tranmere Rovers on the schemes they run in the community. Basically, they are paid for hosting job clubs and social outreach etc

Theme weeks

I argued last year for a Rivalry Week in county cricket and, this year, it is happening. But there is plenty more where that came from, starting with a trophy for mini-rivalries (eg Somerset v Gloucestershire, Worcestershire v Warwickshire, and Leicestershire v Nottinghamshire) based on their head-to-head record in all competitions through the season. Some of these already exist but, typically, the execution has been poor.

Other ideas

State Schools Week - designed to get state school kids into county grounds. A planned, holistic campaign - seed content beforehand, send players into schools and giveaway tickets.
- Combine this promotion with a State Schools Cup sponsored by a sportswear company at no cost to them apart from supplying their product. The kids design their school’s kits, England players act as mentors. But the real aim is to get cricket equipment into state schools. I know this competition exists but it is not linked with the county game and it has not touched my teenagers.
‘Go with the Grandparents’ week* - any member can bring along their extended family for free. How many of us first went to sport with our Grandad? Again, execution is everything. *Needs a better name
Old-fashioned week - a round of games played in old-style kits at outgrounds. Like NHL’s winter classic. Baseball went one better playing a regular season game on the pitch made famous in the movie ‘Field of Dreams’. Think about the PR, photo opportunities and stories that could be told.

The soccer club I worked for in the USA put on Star Wars Night and, famously, Fish Taco Night.

Yeah… maybe not

Properly connect players with local schools

Again, this already exists but it is not fully exploited and players need to ~~get off their arses to~~ help. Personally, I am sick of seeing a gaggle of enthusiastic kids stuck in a corner throughout a visit, having little or no facetime with the people who really matter to them - the players. We cannot expect youngsters to get into the game via osmosis when most of them have no idea what is going on. Let’s plan this - connect players with specific schools in the area, entice return visits and gain data. My plan is below. If every player in the squad takes one school that is 20 schools per team. It costs the player a couple of afternoons a year and creates a bucket load of memories.

How it works:

Preparation – Back story content on Player A shown at school by PE teacher
Player A visits the school, does a talk and coaching session
School’s visit the game – in a section, visible. Announced on the tannoy, made to feel special
- Re-connect with Player A - he visits for pre and post-match chats. In-game if possible. Explanation of the game via Player A. Info handed out
- Play on the pitch at the break. Playing the game with representatives of the community scheme
One or two weeks later - re-connect
- In PE lessons, kids are played content shot on the day they visited
- Video invitation/offer from Player A - ‘bring your family for free’. Probably for a 50-over game
If they take that up there’s another offer via email - bring a friend for free
If possible, Player A to mentor the school team for a game
Data collection opportunities throughout

Selfie areas for white-ball games

This is an area in the stands near the dugout where players sit in pairs or threes in 15-30-minute blocks. While there, young fans are encouraged to approach them for selfies and autographs. T20s might be too fast-paced but it is made for 50-over games. You could allocate it like umpiring in local cricket. When batting, the No 8 and 9 go in first then Nos 10 and 11. After that, you can work down the order. It should be a business goal of the evening to get as many kids in pictures with players as possible, along with beer sales and winning the game.

While most players are very good in this regard, some will not like it. So perhaps cosseted little dears should have this sort of fan engagement contracted or linked to their bonuses. And make sure the stars do as much as the rookies.

Part of the rapid growth of women’s football is down to their post-match availability to fans. This brings me to…

Seeing the women’s game as truly revenue-raising not box-ticking

Let’s leave aside the morality and equality aspect to just talk business as, so often, that is the argument used to maintain the sporting status quo. Relative to the men, the women playing the tournament-that-shall-not-be-named are underpaid in terms of the audience they attract. Likewise, England’s top women’s footballer earns around £350,000 per year, much less than many of her male counterparts take home per week. Yes, the media rights values are much lower, it’s mostly on free-to-air TV, ticket prices are much cheaper and there are only a handful of true stars. But this wide audience is growing (the last two Sports Personalities of the Year have been women’s footballers) and it is different - young and female. That is hugely valuable. Sponsorship is coming and a culture is growing. The ECB are right to see counties as the way to develop deep roots in the women’s game and the clubs are interested, see stories below.

Developing a Customer Relationship Management strategy in county cricket

In its most basic sense, this is email marketing tailored to specific demographics. So your communications hit the right person with the right message at the right time.

These days you need to package up messages in different ways for different audiences - young, old, families, millennials etc. Last year, Essex sent my teenage kids a letter, similar to the one I received, with the membership I bought them. They could not care less. The player cards the sent a few years earlier did raise some interest. But a personalised video via email or social media on their birthday? Now that is something they might post on their own feed. And shareability is free and very resonant advertising.

‘Future of County Cricket’ supplement for members

Every county member can add a £30 "Future of County Cricket" supplement on top of their standard fee to their club in order to access the reciprocal arrangement at any county game when their own side is not playing. This money goes into a specific fund to promote the county game among younger generations, especially in state schools. It costs £3 to attend each day. If you watch more than 10 the rest are free, if you do not use up your £30 you can get a refund or donate the remainder.

Perhaps it is a little complex but we can all get behind a scheme that supports the future of the game. And passionate fans get more cricket at a dirt cheap price.

No-cost sponsorship deal with solar power companies to offset rising energy bills

A contra deal with solar companies could effectively make grounds fully functional demonstrations of the product. Cricket is associated with sunshine and giving away considerable collateral and, say, an executive box on a number of match days as a showroom would be a fair exchange for fitting solar batteries that would reduce energy costs year-round and in the long-term.

"Having spent time at Somerset before coming here and having grown up in club football, I see the strength of having proper clubs in the communities, working across a variety of different aspects.
"When you look at any club, and it doesn't matter if it's a county club or a local club, they're developing players, they're a heart of a community, they have got facilities which then act as a community hub, they have a huge amount of support and I think those elements can sometimes be undervalued when you're looking from on high.
"When franchise teams appear, all they tend to do is skim the cream off the top; their idea of a player-development pathway is a chequebook and I think we need to value what county clubs, or any club within the community, actually provides.”
Richard Gould speaking in 2021. Link here

Players moves and contracts

Contracts: Hannon-Dalby (Warwickshire - 2yrs), Burgess (Warwickshire - 2yrs), Davey (Somerset - 1yr), Porter (Essex - 3yrs), Goodman (Gloucestershire - 2yrs)

Signings: Barlett (Kent - overseas - 7 Champ, 8 Blast), Smith (Worcestershire - overseas - all season), Crane (Hampshire to Glamorgan - season-long loan), Tickner (Derbyshire - overseas - 9 Champ, 8 Blast), Hamza (Glamorgan - overseas - 7 Champs), Renshaw (Somerset - overseas - 7 Champ)

Steve Kirby: Former fast bowler returns to Somerset for second coaching spell (BBC Sport)

The season approaches! (Peakfan)

Conundrum (Yahoo over Cow Corner)

From Middlesex to Sussex – now county championship promotion and T20 knockout stages are Simpson’s aims (Sussex Express)

Championship promotion is the main motivation for all-rounder Keogh (Northamptonshire Chronicle)

News, Views and Interviews

Nevill Ground: Kent CEO Simon Storey says 'unlikely' County Championship games will return to Tunbridge Wells (BBC Sport)

Kent reveal plans to join H*ndred with 12,000-seat pop-up stadium (Times)

Major works planned at Trent Bridge cricket ground's pavilion to ensure future of Test matches (Nottinghamshire Live)

£1k-a-month apartments for rent with the best view on earth - if you love cricket (Birmingham Live)

Worcestershire move two County Championship games to Kidderminster because of floods (BBC Sport)

Are we seeing a positive effect of the current permacrisis in English cricket in the development of new stadiums? Gloucestershire are looking to move, Kent may develop Beckenham, Northamptonshire and Lancashire have plans for second-team grounds and, recently, the Essex board showed visualisations of the redevelopment of Chelmsford.

The stadium would have a 10,500 capacity as part of a development involving a hotel and student accommodation. The idea is in the lightest pencil right now. An opening in 2030 was suggested but there is the planning, the council and, of course, the funding. My preference has been for a move away entirely. Sell the city centre site for housing and start afresh - multi-purpose, fit-for-purpose - rather than relying on architects and civil engineers to fit the quart of our ambitions into the pint pot of space we have at our disposal.

Then again, I can get behind any future that gives county cricket a path offering the hope of growth, autonomy and self-sustainability. This is exactly what the solutions of the ECB and others do not provide. With 50-60 per cent of the counties’ revenue coming from the governing body, you could strongly argue it has never paid its bills. But, for now, the cash cow of the England team is reliant on the talent they produce. Reducing that pool to eight to 10 major teams is beyond foolish. Just look at two of the latest young stars, Rehan Ahmed and Shoaib Bashir. Both started in the youth ranks of Test-hosting counties but needed moves to ‘smaller’ ones to come through.

A disciplinary process lacking transparency leaves questions hanging over Essex (Cricketer) ($)

Yorkshire apologise to sacked former physiotherapist Wayne Morton after reaching out-of-court settlement (Cricinfo)

Desperate times at Yorkshire County Cricket Club amid racism scandal (Arab News)

The appearance of Colin Graves in front of the DCMS Select Committee was everything we expected. For me, his demeanour suggested he thought he simply should not be there.

Like the local MP, see video, I do not buy the narrative that without Graves the club would have gone under. Lord Patel, on the other hand, took over when raging fires had to be fought, all the sponsors were fleeing and international games were likely to follow.

Make no mistake, Essex must be docked points for the racism at the club over the past few years. Not as many as Yorkshire because the reaction of the new regime has been much better than that at Headingley. And, of course, the White Rose have re-installed some of the custodians who were in charge when it all started.

It took years for Yorkshire to go through their disciplinary process and, when it came, their punishment included a points deduction in the Blast, after they had already exited the competition. They were relegated from Division One of the Championship on merit before the 48 points were docked. The punishment merely condemned them to the basement places in Division Two.

For the sake of sporting integrity, any punishment for Essex should come pre-season in a mid-season muddle. But it won’t.

And, for the sake of clarity, here are my thoughts on handling racism scandals at Essex, Yorkshire and anywhere else, in order to move forward on this

Total transparency
The acceptance good people can do bad things
No pile-ons for those who TRULY show understanding, contrition and the desire to make amends

Alas, we know this is impossible these days. And then there are all the legal necessities and self-protectionism.

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Is The H*ndred A Success? (Being Outside Cricket)

“Everything about The H*ndred ranges from a missed opportunity to a fundamentally flawed concept. Even the women’s competition, the one shining beacon of light in the whole thing, fails to lead anywhere else beyond attracting an audience for itself.

“Obviously it works out pretty well for some people. Anyone employed as a marketer or PR consultant in North London, for example, or the eight ECB executives who pocketed a huge bonus cheque. A large selection of mediocre men’s T20 cricketers also have good reason to be thankful.

“Beyond that, the greatest success The H*ndred has had is in persuading people to say that it’s successful.”

Step Aside Pickleball, America’s New Local Battle Is Over Cricket (Wall Street Journal)

Duncan Fearnley, bat-maker and Worcestershire legend, dies aged 83 (Cricinfo)

Northamptonshire Submit Tier 1 Women's Team Bid (Northamptonshire CCC)

Durham Cricket aim to bring professional women’s Cricket to the region (Durham CCC)

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Matthew Smith

Matthew’s Substack

Mar 11

Some fine ideas about promoting county cricket. Maybe we also need to look at those that follow a first class county, but do so from a distance. I'm an Essex fan but live around 70 miles away from Chelmsford on the Suffolk coast. You Tube coverage has been a godsend. There must be many others also in this position, and countless school children - engaging those children and making them, and those that for whatever reason find it hard to get to county games, feel part of their nearest/local county is a challenge often overlooked.

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2 replies by The Grumbler and others

Dave Allen

Mar 13

Ref younger/diverse 'voices': Ten years ago I was asked by Kevan James to help out with the BBC's new ball-by-ball commentaries on Hampshire's games and I've done it ever since - voluntarily. When I started I was one of four Hospital Broadcast 'extras' who helped out and we were all white, male, retired etc. I'm the only one left but there are now 3/4 young women including Emily Windsor who began some years ago, who all still play, a Black club cricketer from Zimbabwe now in England and a member of Hampshire Disabled team. I also have a very recent graduate writing pieces every year for Hampshire's Handbook. Change is perfectly possible and since this will probably be my last active year it might even increase at Hampshire.

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