The gimmicks don't work
Those people at the ECB and around the counties who believe that Twenty20 is the future should be in Derby right now.
There is a measly crowd - less than 1,000 people in the ground. They are being bombarded by deafening P.A drivel as a man tries and embarrassingly fails to whip up an atmosphere. Gimmicks are flopping left, right and centre. Derbyshire mascot Freddie the Falcon, given a Corybantic introduction by the announcer, shuffled on and did a self-conscious lap of the square waving hopelessly at an utterly indifferent crowd. A posse of cheerleaders, performing in a corner, came and went unnoticed. Most sympathy goes to the couple who have laid out a marquee full of sweets, a really lovely display, only to have almost no - perhaps absolutely no - customers.
When the match gets going, the entertainment will begin. But much of this periphery really is painful. Like a very, very bad stand-up comic entertaining no-one.
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Brian Halford - Brian Halford’s look at Edgbaston.
When will the ECB learn to just let the cricket do the talking; the rest of the sideshow is just embarrassing.
Embarrassing is the word tonight, Almajir. Truly embarrassing.
hi brian, what do you reckon to these new speedway-like helmets we're wearing tonight?!
In essence I agree Brian.
Im all for getting the crowd more engaged but what about getting the kids on the field before a game for a bit of kwik cricket? Some of the playing staff could even be involved in the fun games. That kinda thing would be okay.
Throw in stewards with smiling faces being extra helpful (there are several down at Edgbaston who already do) and a PA system that is clear and provides interesting pieces of information, helps harness the sense of anticipation you need before the start of a game, perhaps announcing the overall competition records between the sides, young player of the month awards, some information about local club cricket etc, explain the rules, kindly remind spectators not to move about during play. These are simple, cricket oriented but perhaps less straightforwardly marketable to big sponsors.
That's the big issue facing clubs like Warwickshire now they are aiming for the commercial sposorship and marketing of 'big multi-national companies' rather than traditionally associating with smaller local businesses that would sponsor more organic and cricket oriented locally attuned events.
Cricket has so much intrinsic richness to offer the spectators it doesnt need to supplement the quiet times with external noise and piffery.
Hi Andy - I was a bit taken aback by them, to be honest. I thought they were miners' helmets, which would have been quite apt considering how dark it was under those forty-watt floodlights.
Mad - Exactly. It's great to engage the crowd but they must do it in cricket-related ways many of which you outline. Looking back on tonight's game, two things stand out: Chris Woakes's bowling and Ian Bell's batting. They were much enjoyed (Derbyshire's supporters applauded Bell warmly) while all the crass periphery was simply endured.
There is a decent cricket product in T20 but the ECB have to be strong enough to stand up to sponsors a bit. Thank God the Highways Agency doesn't back cricket or the players would be running out with traffic cones on their 'eds.