“Test Cricket’s Dying And Nine Is Right To Play Day-Night Tests”: Steve Waugh

“Test Cricket’s Dying And Nine Is Right To Play Day-Night Tests”: Steve Waugh
John Bastick
By John Bastick
SHARE
THIS



The upcoming first-ever day-night Test match in Adelaide is essential for the game’s survival even if some fans won’t like the concept says former Aussie cricket captain Steve Waugh.

Speaking at the launch of his “Captain’s Ride” charity bike ride, Waugh told B&T that the day-night concept wasn’t merely to appease advertisers and broadcaster Channel Nine but was the ‘shot in the arm’ that Test cricket needed. The comments follow on from speculation that the players themselves are lukewarm on the idea.

The Adelaide Test between Australia and New Zealand starts on November 27th.

“The players will love it when they play it,” Waugh said of the concept. “People are always sceptical about change, ‘How’s it going to work? How will this affect me?’ I think it’s too easy to join the chorus that it’s going to be no good.

“I think Test cricket at night will be great and the big picture is that Test cricket is dying in a lot of other countries. If we don’t do something to rejuvenate it then we may not have Test cricket. Sure, it’s still strong in Australia and England but other countries aren’t watching it. You can’t just sit back and watch it die and not do anything about it, and it’s great that Australia has taken a lead with this,” Waugh argued.

Waugh agreed that the big dollars broadcasters were paying to secure the rights to live sports was affecting the sports themselves but he didn’t believe that day-night concept was introduced to increase prime time audiences and placate advertisers.

“The players and the game’s administrators can’t expect the (broadcast) money to roll in and not also work with the sponsors and the networks. But having said that it has to be mutually beneficial and without this money the game itself will suffer,” he said.

Waugh agreed that more ads in and around sport was “a modern day commercial reality” and he agreed that it could be off-putting for some fans. However, he added that sports that didn’t make themselves attractive to sponsors would lose the cash to sports who did.

Meanwhile, Waugh himself is setting off on his ‘Captain’s Ride’ charity cycle from Sydney to Byron Bay on November 1st in aid of kids with rare diseases.

Waugh has teamed with communications giant Havas to promote the ride that will feature other celebrities including Mick Doohan, John Maclean, pro-cycist Simon Gerrans, Dr Charlie Teo.

“The rare disease patient is the orphan of the health system, often without diagnosis, without treatment, without research and therefore without reason to hope. This is why the Steve Waugh Foundation exists. The Australian rare disease community is growing, with a leading number of medical and advocacy groups joining together to give those living with a rare disease a voice,” he said.

The ride will have full social media coverage and donations can be made via www.stevewaughfoundation.com.au 

Please login with linkedin to comment

Advertising Standards Bureau Arnott Ashely Madison Failure

Latest News

Eyeota Enhances Reach And Targeting Precision For RDA Research
  • Marketing

Eyeota Enhances Reach And Targeting Precision For RDA Research

Leading Australian market research data brand, RDA Research, provides actionable consumer intelligence to help businesses inform decision making and growth strategies. RDA Research wanted to make its unique consumer data available for addressable digital targeting and required a data onboarding partner to help activate their data in an online environment.

Enthral Strengthens Journalistic DNA By Hiring Channel 7 Reporter Sean Sowerby
  • Media

Enthral Strengthens Journalistic DNA By Hiring Channel 7 Reporter Sean Sowerby

Storytelling agency Enthral has appointed Channel 7 reporter and sports presenter Sean Sowerby as its new senior PR and content manager in Melbourne. Sowerby (pictured) started his award-winning career at 3AW before spending more than 15 years in television. Enthral founder and manager director, Cameron Smith, spoke of the significance of Sowerby joining the agency. […]

Blis Puts Its CEO In The Desert In Clever New “Data Drought” Ad
  • Campaigns
  • Technology

Blis Puts Its CEO In The Desert In Clever New “Data Drought” Ad

Ever since Google first announced it would be getting rid of third-party cookies on Chrome, digital advertising businesses have been actively sharing their plans for life after cookies. And now programmatic advertising company Blis might have come up with the most creative way to get the message across, in a new video which sees company […]

Agency Icon Sweeps The SABRE Awards
  • Marketing
  • Media

Agency Icon Sweeps The SABRE Awards

Integrated Melbourne agency Icon has taken top honours in the 2021 SABRE Awards, winning the coveted Australasian Consultancy of the Year for 2021 along with a host of category and craft awards. Icon led a large field of Australian agencies with a total of three major and seven minor awards, including gold in the cause-related […]

Former Agency Execs Launch Car Service Summon
  • Marketing
  • Media

Former Agency Execs Launch Car Service Summon

Former agency executives Tim O’Neill and Tim Fouhy have launched the auto technology startup Summon. Australia’s first full e-commerce service for prestige cars. O’Neill and Fouhy both founded Reactive, a digital agency, which was bought by Accenture in 2016. Following the deal, O’Neill and Fouhy ended up leading the company’s digital marketing arm, Accenture Interactive before […]