…because hardly anyone will turn up anyway.
The crowds for county cricket matches had been in rapid decline, with the median age of spectators increasing at the rate of approximately one year every year. However, plans are in discussion to use this declining lack of popularity to their advantage – as County Championship Cricket matches aim to be the first sporting events to be played in front of crowds as early as April.
Aging Fanbase = More Vaccinated Punters
The fact that County Cricket’s game-attending fanbase is largely made up of old northerners has inspired confidence that they can get crowds in from the get go. An ageing fanbase means that they are more likely to be vaccinated, which under the plans would be a requirement to purchase a ticket. Additionally, they would at first restrict numbers – which might not be necessary as hardly anyone bothered going before the pandemic anyway. Everyone over 50 should have received their first does of the vaccine by the end of March, which covers most of County Cricket’s fanbase.
Could it Be Ruined By Young Tw*ts?
Sports fans of all ages and tastes have been largely starved from watching live sport in-person for almost a year now. There was a brief period when fans from a few London clubs and a handful of Scousers were allowed to watch Premier League football, but that lasted about as long as a prime-era McGregor fight.
Middle aged men up and down the country have been dreaming of the day they can give away a large sum of their hard earned cash to stand in the p*ssing rain and shout abuse at athletes half their age, and who earn 20 times their annual salary. Football fans will probably have to wait a little longer to re-enter stadia around the country, as our love of hugging each other and belting out humorous adaptations of 80s pop songs from the stands isn’t Covid friendly apparently.
This gap in the lives of many means that there are millions of football fans up and down the country who will literally watch any sport live to get their fix. However, we wouldn’t fear the foundation of the Lincolnshire Country Cricket Club Ultras just yet – so all you Norfolk boys can sleep easy.
How Can You Watch Live Cricket in April?
We can’t yet confirm that you’ll be able to, but you’ll need to meet the following criteria. First you’ll need to age about 20-30 years and get yourself a Covid vaccine. Secondly, you’ll need to hope furlough is still a thing or use up some of your annual leave, because county cricket matches last about a fortnight – though in reality it feels like six years.
