BIG CRICKET SURVEY 2018: As cricket changes, its fans remain... that's why they must have a voice

In the spring, The Cricketer ran an online survey asking readers a whole host of questions about the state of the sport in England and Wales. It is something we intend to do once a year, every year going forward...

The principle was simple… ask fans what they think about the state of the game.

Cricket goes through more quick changes than a cruise ship dance troupe; it is a chameleon of a sport, always adapting to its environment, looking to survive and trying to hide its flaws.

While those in charge pursue new audiences and search for untapped revenue streams, though, there remains a group of supporters who - and this is as keenly felt today as it ever has been - perceive themselves to be ignored.

It’s important to listen to them too.

The average cricket fan can be found in most walks of life, in every nook and cranny of our metropolises and rolling hills. They are young, old and somewhere in between. They are boys and girls, men and women, regular players and those who opted for a deckchair and a drink a long time ago.

They are northern and southern, and Brummie and Manc, and Kentish and Cornish and Welsh. And they all have an opinion. And all their opinions are valid. And all their opinions matter.

^{Cricket fans come from a wide range of backgrounds}

So it was, we felt, about time that the floor was regularly thrown open to those who love the game to have their say.

In the spring, The Cricketer ran an online survey asking readers a whole host of questions about the state of the sport in England and Wales. It is something we intend to do once a year, every year going forward.

We asked about ticket prices, the way their counties are run, the governance structure at the ECB, the Kolpak conundrum, media consumption, grass roots cricket, the number of matches in an English summer and much, much more.

DEMOGRAPHIC BREAKDOWN OF BIG CRICKET SURVEY RESPONDENTS

The survey was open for eight weeks, during which time just shy of 1,900 responses were received. We believe that represents a good sample pool of the feelings of cricket fans across the country.

The questions were run past a professional pollster prior to publication, and the overall results have been shared with each of the 18 first-class counties and the ECB, both for comment and, should they wish, as a point of reference going forward.

What follows over the rest of this week is an illustration of the data; an analysis of what the existing cricket fan thinks of the state of the sport in England and Wales, presented without prejudice.

THE QUESTIONS WE ASKED: Remind yourself of the survey by clicking here