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This week’s Old Trafford Test was the last there until at least 2012. Putting aside our irritation that we can’t see Test cricket at our local ground, we can see that it’s increasingly shabby and that Lancashire have been complacent about their ‘right’ to hold Tests.
Only that’s not necessarily the reason. According to Lancashire’s chief executive, Jim Cumbes, the criteria through which grounds are selected to host Tests are heavily weighted towards financial returns. This isn’t good for spectators.
The various potential Test match venues bid against each other and the more they bid, the more they need to recoup. We’re no economist, but the ‘how much could I get for a kidney’ ticket and beer prices might well be a result of this.
Old Trafford still needs a lick of paint though.
Am a bit ignorant of cricket funding – but is there an element of footie big-spend bankroller owners here? Instead of buying up players you buy up Tests? Shome mishtake shurely?
Some British guy wrote a book on stadium economics recently and it was analyzed on Cricinfo, the theories being (a) that ODI’s and T20 should be played only in huge venues so that people dont have to be tured away at the gate and (b) that there should be as many sporting events as possible in a calendar year that would enable stadium owners to invest in upkeep, the conclusion being that the ECB should buy the London Olympics stadium.
Some British guy wrote a book on stadium economics recently and it was analyzed on Cricinfo, the theories being (a) that ODI’s and T20 should be played only in huge venues so that people dont have to be turned away at the gate and (b) that there should be as many sporting events as possible in a calendar year that would enable stadium owners to invest in upkeep, the conclusion being that the ECB should buy the London Olympics stadium.
Some British guy wrote a book on stadium economics recently and it was analyzed on Cricinfo, the theories being (a) that ODI’s and T20 should be played only in huge venues so that people dont have to be turned away at the gate and (b) that there should be as many sporting events as possible in a calendar year that would enable stadium owners to invest in upkeep, the conclusion being that the ECB should buy the London Olympics stadium. Be more like the MCG, basically.
Rod Bransgrove – Hampshire’s CEO who has ‘won’ a Test for the Rose Bowl – is very concerned about this bidding process. He says that you shouldn’t bid for a right to host a Test, with money going back to ECB (this is status quo) but Tests should just go to the grounds with best facilities – encouraging them to spend money on stuff that will directly benefit spectator.
That seems pretty obvious and – dare i say it – sensible … And is a reason Old Trafford should miss out, in any case. That and the wind it inherited from Wellington.
John, that’ll be “Pommies” if i recall.
John, that’ll be “Pommies” if i recall.
John, that’ll be “Pommies” if i recall.
By William Buckland.
By William Buckland.
By William Buckland.
That certainly seems fairer D Charlton. All going back to the inherent stuffiness though. I assume that logic still fits in with “one test each per year except Lords, yes yes we know, just go away now please”?
Sorry for the multiple posting, sirs. Here’s Cricinfo on the book.
http://www.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/current/story/352816.html
The MCG some times misses out on tests against Bangladesh and New Zealand.
That always annoyed me.
Ofcourse the boxing day test every year made up for it.
Is this a serious post now then? If so how does the Olympic stadium work with the Oval and Lords? that has two tests and each old ground only has one? Oval doesn’t get any?
Wasn’t there a big thing about lots of the olympic infrastructure getting relocated around the country after the games? i’ve no idea how big 80,000 seats is… is that one low loader up the M1 or two?
Olympic infrastructure being relocated around the country, my ****.
I believe community sports clubs are already expected to suffer from reduced funding.
If it all gets used afterwards (like most of the Manchester Commonwealth Games bits), great. If it doesn’t, and just gets knocked down, how RUBBISH would that be?!
That would be 11 rubbish.
The scale of rubbishness only goes up to 11 remember.
Starts at 4, right? -32?
Negative twelfty, actually.
I noticed last night that the BBC iPlayer has a volume slider that goes up to 11.
It made me feel all lovely and warm. And ROCK, of course.
It does?
The BBC are even better than we thought they were.