Press Releases

New research by O&O suggests there is little consumer demand for the proposed city-based T20 competition even among younger and currently more casual fans of cricket 

Cricket - 30 Aug 2016

Test matches remain the favourite format of the game for fans in the UK (and are still equally attractive as T20 to cricket fans aged 18 to 25)

Reform to the current Test match calendar in to a 2 division structure - where England would play only the top sides but more regularly – is a more popular innovation than an extra T20 competition. 

Meanwhile reforms to the county game – moves to a 3-day county championship format with more bonus points – and the introduction of top international players to the current county T20 competition - could help the appeal of cricket below international level more than an additional T20 competition.

The ECB’s enthusiasm for an extra T20 competition may have more to do with the fact that this would sit outside the current Sky TV contract running to 2019, and might make up for the estimated £60m the ECB lost out on when it did its last TV deal, (back in 2011 just before BT entered the market). The deal also allowed Sky to extend for an extra 2 years from 2017 to 2019 with reportedly only a small uplift in annual fee.

ABOUT OLIVER & OHLBAUM 

•      Established in 1995 and based in London, O&O has been an advisor to over 200 different clients on many of the major developments in the UK, European and global television, sport, publishing and online markets.  

•      From supporting BT in their move into sport, to helping Discovery with their purchase of Olympic rights, we have been at the heart of the deals that have transformed sport over the last two decades. 

For comments from O&O contact Nick Beazley on +44 (0) 207 313 5900 

To read a copy of the report click here:

http://www.sportcal.com/pdf/documents/oando/cricket_insight_paper.pdf