With just 45% of fans approving of prices, could more be done to attract a new audience to the game?
By Jo Harman for Wisden
Cricket Monthly
Ticket sales in the
UK are booming, with more people than ever before wanting to watch live cricket. In 2019, domestic and international attendances broke three million for the first time since ECB records began – an 18% increase on the previous record year of 2017. And while the
World Cup played a huge part in that, the ripple effect was felt throughout the professional game, with the average attendance for T20 Blast group matches up by 15% from 2018 and 47% over the past five years.
And yet figures released by the Cricket Supporters’ Association (CSA) last December revealed that only 45% of the 2,500 fans they surveyed felt that cricket is good value for money compared to watching other live sport. “We all know the pressures people are under with their disposable income, and ticket prices need to be mindful of that,” says CSA chief executive Becky Fairlie-Clarke. “As we look towards the future prosperity of the game, ensuring cricket is as inclusive as possible will be key.”