Tests killed by marketing's clamour
John Coomber in The New Zealand Herald notes that Australian cricket’s marketing men risk destroying Test cricket because of their ignorance of the basic product
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
John Coomber in The New Zealand Herald notes that Australian cricket’s marketing men risk destroying Test cricket because of their ignorance of the basic product. He bemoans the “relentless clamour of advertising, silly competitions and mega-decibel announcements that have swamped the grand old game in recent years.” And he continues:
In places like Adelaide they still have the good sense to leave the cricket as the cricket, with a minimum of music and advertising noise. In this series the Gabba and Sydney Cricket Ground have been by far the worst offenders. Presumably it happens at the instigation of marketing types who rely on research that tells them this is what people want. Test cricket needs nothing of the sort. The people who pay their money to be at the SCG do so to enjoy a loved summer ritual.
Martin Williamson is executive editor of ESPNcricinfo and managing editor of ESPN Digital Media in Europe, the Middle East and Africa