ONE DAY INTERNATIONAL VS TWENTY20
The rise of Twenty20 cricket has raised the question on whether the One Day International (ODI) format remains relevant to consumers. In the wake of a thrilling end to the 2019 ICC Mens Cricket World Cup, Nielsen has conducted a health check on the two limited overs formats as Australian cricket fans and potential sponsors look ahead to hosting next year’s ICC Twenty20 World Cup.
According to Nielsen’s SportsLink survey, when it comes to fan engagement and entertainment value, cricket consumers* see the ODI format on par with the 20-over game. Cricket fans consider Twenty20 to be faster-paced and more innovative when compared to ODIs; however, the same group believe ODIs rank above the shorter format when it comes to strategy and prestige.
The analysis highlights that the prestige of the Cricket World Cup provides a significant uplift in cricket engagement, which will likely continue to drive interest in both white ball formats. The clear challenge going forward for the ODI format will be continuing to uphold levels of engagement outside of the World Cup years.
2019 Men’s ICC World Cup (ODI)
This year’s tournament has drawn the interest of more than 6.2 million Australians over the age of 16. Cricket fans make up 44% of the national population and 59% of fans stated they would have tuned in for the tournament.
Nielsen Social Content Ratings highlights the impact that the World Cup has on fan engagement levels for ODI cricket. Interactions during primetime on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter increased 68% for the Australia v India World Cup group round match when compared to the average across the Australia v India three-match ODI series in January earlier this year; with unique engagements on Twitter alone up 83%. The same trend is evident for Australia’s World Cup fixture against Pakistan compared to their ODI series in March.
On average 47% of the total social interactions are through Instagram, 29% on Twitter and 24% on Facebook.
WHAT’S NEXT?
In 2020, Australia plays host to the Men’s and Women’s ICC Twenty20 World Cup. Hoping to capitalise on the wave of attention the tournaments will receive, event organisers are aiming to pack out the MCG with over 100,000 fans for the Women’s Final in March. This is in a bid to break the existing record for a women’s sporting event, which is currently held by the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup Final in the USA.
Both the Men’s and Women’s ICC Twenty20 World Cups promise to deliver fast-paced, exciting action for cricket fans around the world; with significant value for tournament partners to be found through a large, captivated and engaged audience here in Australia.
*Fan is someone over the age of 16 who is interested in or has consumed a particular sport
