This summer, we ran online research amongst cricket fans, giving them the opportunity to offer their insight on various cricket competitions, specifically what drove attendance at the Vitality Blast and opinions on scheduling for the County Championship.
Over 1300 cricket fans let us know what they thought, and this is what was said:
- Fans value long-form and men’s county cricket the most
- More likely to attend the County Championship than the Vitality Blast
- Fans see prestige, unpredictable outcomes, and high skill levels as the top three most important factors for a good cricket match
- Vitality Blast:
- Supporting your local team is how fans think about the Vitality Blast and the most loved feature of the Vitality Vlast
- Entertainment and high-quality cricket are the next most significant phrases when thinking about the Blast
- Fans also love being able to watch cricket on summer evenings and watching cricket with family and friends
- Scheduling:
- Very low satisfaction with scheduling particularly with the County Championship and The Hundred
- Main cause of dissatisfaction with County Championship scheduling is when it takes place over the summer – there’s a dislike amongst fans for matches in April and September
- Fans want County Championship matches in August (nearly 7 out of 10 fans)
- Perception amongst the fans that the County Championship’s scheduling has been negatively affected by The Hundred
- Preference that the County Championship matches take place over August – even if this means some of the first-choice players can’t take part as playing in The Hundred rather than keep the schedule as is
- Although, there is a strong desire amongst some fans for the cancellation of The Hundred
This data and insight has been shared with the ECB and FCC’s.
Thank you for everyone who let us know what they think.
Please take our annual survey and once again, let the ECB know your thoughts and opinions on a wide range of issues. You can find the latest survey here: www.cricketsupporters.com/survey