Update

[Andy]

I am but I will keep my cloak of anonymity.

Mwhahahhah! 

[Stringbok]

Like most people I accept that T20 is here to stay and is necessary to drive participation and spectator rates amongst the younger generation. What I don't accept is that it has to be via City franchises.

I suspect that increasing participation rates is way down the ECB's list, otherwise there would be more than 8 FTA games, and that their prime driver is to have a shiny new competition akin to the IPL and Big Bash so they don't feel inferior at ICC meetings.  The County blast survives for now but I suspect after a few years they will realise that two T20 competitions is one too many and it won't be the shiny new thing that gives way.  I fail to see how concentrating cricket in eight cities will increase its popularity better than a competition spread over the country.

The best way to fight this is to back the T20 blast.  Make sure its a success in the next few years and when the new tournament is launched support the Essex Eagles and not the Southern Softies or whatever they're called. In the words of the great Kevin Keegan, I would love it if the Blast proved more popular than the shiny new thing.

[jimmy]

Has anyone measured those plastic "pint" glasses ?

[squarelegumpire]

Ilford, I'm not sure it says anywhere in my comments that you shouldn't be allowed to attend mate!  And I'm very aware that the older members follow the team and put the mileage in.  I'd do the same if I wasn't here getting some cash back for the taxpayer to contribute to your pensions.. 

The point I'm making is that our older membership will decrease and we need to bring in the younger age groups. 

Square..agree mate.  Sorry I didn't get to pop up to the TPU and say hello on Saturday.

Anyone going to Taunton?  Mrs Blocky has given permission for a Saturday Jolly so I may well crack on down the M4...

Will older members not naturally be replaced? Many of working age who play cricket say when retried they will get a  membership and spend a lot of time at the cricket. Yes the membership is old but to me it seems it will naturally replace itself, and you will never get the younger member in on a regular basis for 4 day cricket due to time constraints at the weekend. FTA would help at a stroke as children will badger parents to take them to cricket.

Part of my retirement present from my colleagues was intended to be a years membership. However when someone was sent up to Chelmsford to sort it out she discovered we’d already been bought it as a 65th birthday present from my son! Apparently meant a lot of last minute rethinking back at base!

[Andy]

Like most people I accept that T20 is here to stay and is necessary to drive participation...The best way to fight this is to back the T20 blast.  Make sure its a success in the next few years and when the new tournament is launched support the Essex Eagles and not the Southern Softies or whatever they're called. In the words of the great Kevin Keegan, I would love it if the Blast proved more popular than the shiny new thing.

Amen to this. You've won the internet for the day. Excellent post

[smandlej]

It will, however, be interesting to know how the ECB measure the city-based T20 to say whether it was a success.  No doubt we will have the usual 'oh, it needs a year or two to bed down' if they don't get the crowds at first: after that, if they don't get the 40,000 per match they think they will, then will it be deemed to have failed?  Of course, nothing will be done about it until the media rights contracts are at an end, but it would be nice to think that, if it fails, they will show T20 Blast matches instead.

Lynda and Steve

[nat]

It will, however, be interesting to know how the ECB measure the city-based T20 to say whether it was a success.  No doubt we will have the usual 'oh, it needs a year or two to bed down' if they don't get the crowds at first: after that, if they don't get the 40,000 per match they think they will, then will it be deemed to have failed?  Of course, nothing will be done about it until the media rights contracts are at an end, but it would be nice to think that, if it fails, they will show T20 Blast matches instead.

Lynda and Steve

It won't be allowed to fail or be perceived to fail. Too much loss of face.

[jwb]

It will, however, be interesting to know how the ECB measure the city-based T20 to say whether it was a success.  No doubt we will have the usual 'oh, it needs a year or two to bed down' if they don't get the crowds at first: after that, if they don't get the 40,000 per match they think they will, then will it be deemed to have failed?  Of course, nothing will be done about it until the media rights contracts are at an end, but it would be nice to think that, if it fails, they will show T20 Blast matches instead.

Lynda and Steve

It won't be allowed to fail or be perceived to fail. Too much loss of face.

Is 40,000 the figure for the audience expected to watch the whole tournament?

[IlfordEagle]

AFAIK there is no cricket ground in England big enough for 40k attendances unless they use the OS & larger football grounds like Wembley!

[Perov]

Perhaps 40,000 will be the maximum TV audience for this contrived nonsense.

[golden duck]

Lack of capacity is just one of the many issues isn't it? Also most of our cricket grounds are designed for a chilled out day rather than an intense atmosphere, I just can't visualise Lords with 28000 people on their feet and getting involved to make the event we see in IPL or BB.
I'm convinced they'll set up a team at Stratford as it is the only stadium that has a field area for cricket and capacity needed. That will work for a year or two then become souless and fail as per Sydney.

[Postman]

The central problem with this is that there just isn't room for two T20s, a 50 over competition and a first class competition (let alone Tests) in our current timetable. It's quite different for the Big Bash which fits into the main summer holidays in Australia and where there are only six first  class teams: and for the IPL, because Indian domestic cricket finishes in February and April is the main school and university holiday month. What I fear is that Graves and Co have a long term agenda of only six or eight first class sides here too.

[nat]

What I fear is that Graves and Co have a long term agenda of only six or eight first class sides here too.

Correct. As long as one of them is Yorkshire of course.

[smandlej]

Interesting to see that Middlesex are against the change to the rule allowing competitions which don't include all 18 counties.

Lynda and Steve

[huttoneagle]

Postman, an excellent post.

It explains the big differences between our cricket and the Indian and Aussies set-up.

I suspect that Graves and Strauss are just don't want to hear any bad news!!!