Selling there souls.

[NotAMember]

The counties like Essex and Somerset, who lie in the middle as non-Test clubs but with very good support, may think they will be okay, but they can/will also suffer in the long term if county cricket declines.

My strategy would have been to place county cricket as the centrepiece of cricket in the UK, with the Blast played in the high summer weeks, back up by a 35-over tournament to replace the 50 over cup, played on Sunday afternoons and on weekday evenings with an approx 5pm start.

Unfortunately we have now instead sold the prime weeks away for good and are instead promoting a homogenised fast-food product with no soul.

[vim]

Why not a 40 over Sunday competition. To replace Tobacco manufacturers, get another socially irresponsible sponsor in the form of gambling.

Instead of giving away packs of cigarettes. There could be a large pane of glass, to bet on two flies walking up it.

[SirChef26]

The counties like Essex and Somerset, who lie in the middle as non-Test clubs but with very good support, may think they will be okay, but they can/will also suffer in the long term if county cricket declines.

My strategy would have been to place county cricket as the centrepiece of cricket in the UK, with the Blast played in the high summer weeks, back up by a 35-over tournament to replace the 50 over cup, played on Sunday afternoons and on weekday evenings with an approx 5pm start.

Unfortunately we have now instead sold the prime weeks away for good and are instead promoting a homogenised fast-food product with no soul.

Somerset don't think they'll be okay at all, that's why they are currently putting the blocks in place to get a franchise of their own when they expand it in a few years, which they almost certainly will. Durham are doing the same and if those in power at Essex had a shred of common sense they would as well.

Don't let this little influx of money fool you. If you don't have a franchise/team, you are essentially a dead county walking as of right now.

[nat]

Next on the agenda apparently is to 'look at the schedule for 2026 onwards'. Standby for a revisit of only 10 CC games per team/season.

[dazedpenguin]

An interesting article on the Cricketer website (much of it originally from the Times):

'Several first-class counties have received offers of investment from parties disappointed by their fortunes in the Hundred sale.

The story, first reported by The Times, suggests several counties - which are understood to include Sussex, Somerset, Gloucestershire and Durham - have had approaches in recent days. It may be relevant that each of those counties would hope to be included should The Hundred expand beyond its current eight teams.

...
Leicestershire did confirm to The Cricketer, however, that they are exploring the potential from external investors. They have enlisted Pinto Finance, who helped broker GMR Group's majority takeover of Hampshire, to help establish and secure interest.

The Cricketer understands that Essex, too, have been in similar discussions in recent times.'