The Cricketer Magazine – June 2018

month later.
With the use of clips, GIFs, photography and exclusive
video interviews on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram,
digital communications have developed apace, offering
fans a regular diet of exclusive news, content and
insights such as Luke Fletcher’s podcasts at Nottingham.
Some counties encourage fans to generate their own
content. Tweets with the #YourYorkshire hashtag appear
automatically on the social media wall on Yorkshire’s
website and on the big screen during play.
As Somerset’s digital executive Ben Warren says: “It’s
quite drastically moved forward as the industry and the
digital age has moved forward.”
Initially there were heavy restrictions on streaming
whenever Sky Sports were broadcasting live cricket. Now
restrictions only prevent a county streaming if their own
game is televised.
This has led to more clubs streaming matches using
a raw feed from fixed cameras on county websites and
YouTube. This year many have synchronised streams
with BBC commentary, overlaid with graphics and the
latest score, which is invaluable when the ball goes off
the square.
Surrey head of communications Jon Surtees says: “We are
trying at all times to make it as easy as possible for people
who want to follow cricket, even if they’re not able to be

here. It’s about giving exposure to the game and making

it easier for people to watch live matches and hopefully

through that deepen their relationship with the club.

“We are incredibly lucky to have the BBC’s commitment

and such a consistently high quality of commentary

from Mark Church and Johnny Barran.”

Warren says the key is making the most of existing

resources: “It’s being delivered on a fairly homemade

budget. It’s delving into the analyst’s feed, taking the

scorer’s data and putting that on top. We’re just making

it run and doing general housekeeping. So, it’s an

efficient model. People aren’t necessarily taking on any

different roles or responsibilities to make it happen.”

Current restrictions mean counties have to ‘unlist’

streams on YouTube, making it impossible to find

through a simple search. Promotion relies on their own

social engagement.

Reaction has been overwhelmingly positive. Surtees

recounts messages from fans who have projected the

feed onto walls at local cricket clubs and even watched

Harry Gurney took the first Championship wicket on a live

stream when Notts trialled the service on their website in

the match against Middlesex in June 2014

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