Let’s start with a reality check.
The fact is that only diehard purists have the tenacity, the discipline and the inclination to sit through every minute of every hour of the 38 days of play the Nine Network has scheduled across its 2015/16 International Summer of Cricket.
With the three-month period coinciding with what is traditionally a time when most viewers are in holiday mode, Nine Entertainment Co. (NEC) is once more faced with delivering content that will get audiences tuning in en masse.
It is a challenge it has relished.
To further enhance its offering this year, NEC has invested heavily in its Wide World of Sports website, relaunching it to become the sports’ fan’s real-time “go-to” for all sporting news. Incorporating an optimised experience for video and mobile, as well as best-in-class live scores, the new site will cater equally well to those on the go or for people glued to their screens.
“This summer, if you are consuming world-class cricket, then it’s via one of our platforms, be it broadcast, streaming, mobile, PC or tablet,” Michael Stephenson, NEC’s director of sales, said.
As the owner of the broadcast rights to The Test Series, the International T20, the One Day Internationals, and the digital rights to every form of the game, including the local Big Bash, Stephenson is only too familiar with the opportunities cricket affords brands.
“As a result of us owning all of these rights, brands have a real opportunity to build a relevant narrative with their customers and bring a story to life across both our broadcast and digital platforms from November through until February,” he said.
But owning the rights will only get you so far in the age of time-shifted viewing and second screening. A well-conceived cross-platform approach is crucial.
A recent report on shifts in viewing habits by insights group Nielsen, acknowledged digital use is having a big impact on the way Australians consume their media and nowhere is this more apparent than during the summer months when viewers are more likely to be out of their living rooms. Nielsen said consumers have become accustomed to controlling the wide array of content at their fingertips.
“Some people will want their content live on their TV screen delivered via a traditional or broadband-enabled connection, some will want to watch it at a different time, while others will increasingly look for it on the go and on demand on their mobile devices. With smartphones topping 70% penetration and tablets inching toward the 50% mark, the growth in digital consumption can only increase,” the report stated.
Stephenson said currently 94% of cricket viewing happens at home in front of the television yet 41% of people viewed cricket related content on a second screen.
The new Wide World of Sports site will have a greater emphasis on video news and highlights for fans to get bite-sized content as well as interactive features such as heatmaps, the worm and wagon wheels.
“We know that our audiences are accessing our content online and we know that six out of 10 viewers are second screening. This type of consumer behaviour creates massive opportunities for our partners to communicate with even more engaged audiences,” Stepenson said.
The broadcast audience peaks leading into 6pm, he said, as the day’s play wraps up, providing a great time for brands to get on board in the lead-in to the high-rating news bulletins.
Interestingly, mobile engagement continues to peak long after the day’s play has finished, with fans remaining plugged in until up to 10pm at night, Stephenson added.
The head of sponsorship and integration at The Media Store, Sandra Wiles, said the joint partnership Nine has with the sport’s governing body Cricket Australia for the digital rights means the network is in the privileged position of being able to deliver cross platform strategies for brands.
“An overall screen strategy, as distinct from a broadcast strategy, is critical,” she said.
Despite the increased consumption online, NEC’s Sports sales director, Sam Brennan, said most of the more than 16 million people who are expected to watch cricket over the season will continue to use TV screens to view the most important moments.
“TV will continue to be the driving force of consumption for many. Even with the introduction of digital platforms we’ve seen TV being relatively unaffected. I think what you’ll find is people are still there for those marquee moments – the start of the Boxing Day tests, the opening balls of the summer.
“Having the content available on the Cricket Australia app and the official cricket site, cricket.com.au, gives people the ability to catch up more regularly through the course of the day so you don’t need to be there watching the broadcast for seven or eight hours. Most people will watch it knowing you’ve got the ability to catch up in real time on your own device.”
AdNews, in partnership with NEC, has compiled the Summer Planning Guide.
Pick up your copy of the Guide, inside the latest print issue of AdNews, out now. Click here to subscribe to the AdNews magazine or read the iPad edition here.
Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop us a line at adnews@yaffa.com.au
Sign up to the AdNews newsletter, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for breaking stories and campaigns throughout the day.