We go on a journey to discover whether T20 cricket is saving our game or whether it is doing more harm than good.
T20 cricket is a funny game… the format promises to entertain and be the cure for the decrease in the popularity of cricket globally.
T20 cricket promised to draw in younger or new fans to the game because it is shorter than the other two formats, which makes it more attractive to watch live.
Not only has T20 cricket entertained a new generation of cricket fans, but it has also brought a massive money influx into the sport.
Women’s cricket has continued to become more popular and entertaining largely due to the exposure cricketers are getting by playing in domestic leagues.
The IPL has become one of the most-viewed sporting tournaments in the world.
Now, one issue that this causes is that the richer countries and cricket boards control the monopoly, with their wealth increasing. They host the biggest T20 competitions that bring in record-breaking revenue streams and viewers to the tournament – live, digital and tv views.
The more money they make, the more money they can pump into development and other formats (Tests, ODI).
Underdeveloped or underprivileged countries struggle to duplicate that, so how do these nations compete? Smaller nations are the majority and without them, the sport loses quality.
Has T20 improved our sport? Or has the format done more harm than good?
So I went on a journey of finding out about how T20 Cricket has affected South African cricket, with a particular emphasis on Domestic Franchise Leagues.
In this issue, we try to answer the difficult question, is T20 saving or killing our game?
We also get exclusive insight from Dewald Brevis on his experience in the IPL…
So please sit back, grab a snack, and a beverage, and enjoy our 2-year-anniversary edition. It’s all about T20 Cricket.
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