Jeremy Blackmore went round the counties to see how they
have revolutionised the way fans digest the domestic game
T
here’s a certain irony that a digital revolution
in county cricket has uncovered and helped
fuel a resurgence of affection for a form of the
game that some argue belongs to a bygone age.
Social media engagement by and with fans has risen
steadily in recent seasons, but live streaming by most
counties, now synchronised with BBC radio commentary,
could be a game-changer.
The numbers are startling – and growing. The
counties have more than 3.1m follows or ‘likes’ on
Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, not including MCC,
tournament and individual player accounts.
The stream of Surrey’s opening Championship game
attracted 18,572 views, with more than 563,000 minutes
watched. There were similar numbers for Surrey’s
three-day innings victory over Yorkshire.
Surrey chief executive Richard Gould has no doubt:
“You see the amount of interest in county cricket
online and it’s perhaps only now that we’re getting
to understand not just the scale of feeling, but also
the depth. I sense a lot more positive and warmth
surrounding the county teams than before.”
For Gould, the advent of the new 100-ball tournament
with eight new city-based teams makes such digital
engagement by the counties essential.
“It’s really important for the game over the next fi ve
or six years because the county clubs will face an
additional challenge from these new teams and so it’ll be
even more important for the traditional brands to keep
their heads up there.
“That’s an opportunity for us; we need to make sure
that people know that we are still here and always will
be, irrespective of what formats come and go.”
He is adamant that digital engagement has played a key
role: “In part, it’s a reaction to the challenge to county
cricket and perhaps it’s now that people understand
what clubs do because county cricket clubs are clubs,
they’re not just teams like in the IPL.
“We’ve got our youth development pathways, our
academy. People are really proud when a young player
comes and makes their debut. There’s a great strength
of feeling there and then when players go on and play
internationally, that sense of pride goes on forever. That’s
what proper clubs deliver and harness. It’s real feelings.”
For county cricket, streaming is the culmination of a
rapid evolution in digital engagement. Nottinghamshire
were at the forefront, becoming the fi rst county to appoint
a digital marketing manager. Then, in June 2014, Harry
Gurney took the fi rst wicket on a live stream when Notts
trialled the service on their website against Middlesex.
In April 2016, Glamorgan became the fi rst county to
stream live with BBC commentary; Notts followed suit aABOVE
A live stream
of Surrey v
Glamorgan in
the Royal London
One-Day Cup| thecricketer.com