The Future of County Cricket

[Terry]

It looks like the bright, shiny new T20 competition may be delayed until 2020:
http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/cricket/...72226.html
When Samit Patel describes it as a "no-brainer", I could interpret that in two very different ways.

[Terry]

An interesting report of a forum held by the ECB in Leicsetershire:
http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/833...-feels-ecb
One could interpret some of the statistics quoted as having an underlying message that says: "We at the ECB have done such a poor job of promoting cricket in this country that we now need your commitment to us having another go - who knows, we might just get it right this time."

[Terry]

It's good to see more investment in the grassroots:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/get-inspired/37853153
The benefits to cricket as a whole and county cricket in particular won't show through until well after my day; but at least it's a move in the right direction.

[Terry]

Somerset seem to be doing OK:
http://www.somersetcountycc.co.uk/2016/1...S1yGYDh.97

[GrizzlyBear]

You can never be too sure that there isn't some smoke-and-mirrors nonsense going on in company accounts but it seems to me that Somerset genuinely know how to run a successful club. They don't spend their time grandiosely talking about being a "venue", they just get on with it. What is also indisputable is that Taunton is a great place to watch cricket and spectators are always made to feel welcome, whatever form of the game is on. Other clubs could benefit by taking note.

[narsty simon]

Yes,lovely people &venue,always 1 of the best trips of the season, whatever the result !

[Warleybear]

I agree.... always been inovitive too. Thats why I always say that they are one side that should be allowed to joint the elite when the big changes to the domestic game happen. ..

[Terry]

So let's encourage lots of counties to spend money upgrading their facilities for international matches and then...
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/d...-games-ecb

[Leicester Exile]

(05-12-2016, 09:27 PM)Terry Wrote: So let's encourage lots of counties to spend money upgrading their facilities for international matches and then...
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/d...-games-ecb

You really couldn't make it up !

[Paul]

Yes more London bias. I bet they wouldn't take games off Lords and he Oval apart from the final maybe but the rest of the country would suffer. Anyway make for joke cricket with short boundaries.

[GrizzlyBear]

Somewhere on this forum about a year ago I suggested that the ECB would be very happy to see T20 played on football grounds with the counties cut out of the deal altogether. It begins.

The ECB is just not fit for purpose as guardian of cricket in this country.

[Warleybear]

But things have to change..... i would reform the game urgently. Cut out the dead wood amoungst the counties and have no more than six test venues.

Even in Rugby, London Welsh went pop today.

I ask myself .... how do you go from 18 counties to 14. The answer is very easy......

[Paul]

(06-12-2016, 08:58 AM)GrizzlyBear Wrote: Somewhere on this forum about a year ago I suggested that the ECB would be very happy to see T20 played on football grounds with the counties cut out of the deal altogether. It begins.

The ECB is just not fit for purpose as guardian of cricket in this country.

Yes t20 but the 50 over game??

[Warleybear]

I see both T20 and Test cricket are doing well in Australia....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-38526535

[Leicester Exile]

Anything to do with the game being shown on free to air TV?

[Warleybear]

Slap my thighs.... do you think? ;-)

I see the BT and Sky bubbles look slightly pricked at the moment.

[Leicester Exile]

Sky Sports is starting to look almost as bad as the BBC for top events

[Warleybear]

The problem is that a lot of sports people have found other ways to watch on line .... and those who don't watch sport are fed up with subsidising those who do..... It will all end in tears...... the ripples will stretch out far and wide..... there will be casualties as the good times for many sports cease......

[Leicester Exile]

I think you are right. Also having more than one pay to view station thought to create competition has in fact spread the money making sports (football,cricket and rugby) resulting in people having to pay twice as much or chose just one and find the cost not justifiable.

Premiership football is split between Sky and BT, Rugby top flight BT and rest Sky, Cricket is now being split between Sky and BT. Even though you can negotiate 50% even 60% reduction on Sky it is still expensive for what they show and it appears BT are not yet in to discounting as a stand alone.

[GrizzlyBear]

The case for the City franchised T20 competition relied heavily on the assumption that BT Sport and Sky would bid each other up for the TV rights. I can see that golden goose flying out of the window as I type ....