Guest Speakers
January 15, 2025

GIS Insight Series Recap: Cricket’s Evolving Landscape 

GIS Insight Series Recap: Cricket’s Evolving Landscape 

In our latest edition of GIS Insight Series, host Robin Chipperfield was joined by an expert panel to discuss all things cricket. 

The panel featured professionals from various facets of the sport: 

  • James Rosengarten, General Manager of Melbourne Renegades 
  • Chantella Perera, General Manager of KOJO sports, events and entertainment company 
  • Aman Jain, GIS graduate and sports agent 

The first topic that the panel spoke about revolved around Twenty20 cricket, where franchises typically play for only a few months of the year. For instance, Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL) runs in December, January and February. In theory, this schedule allows players not centrally contracted to their national cricket boards to participate in multiple franchises globally. However, overlaps in international leagues often make this challenging. James Rosengarten highlighted this issue, stating: 

“We [the BBL] have an overlap with the ILT and the South African League, so there’s a battle for overseas players. Ultimately, it’s an area we need to smooth out so the leagues overlap less, and the players have the ability to earn and play in as many leagues as possible. Forcing players to choose isn’t the best position for the game.” 

Aman Jain, who has worked as an agent for around 50 high-level cricketers over the last five years, shared a similar perspective: 

“Everyone wants cricket- I think there should be specific windows for tournaments so there’s no overlap. I know players make more money when there’s an overlap but the cricketers know that they want to play in the best tournaments. Even as a viewer, I don’t want to turn on the TV and have to watch three different leagues at the same time, the whole focus should be on one league.” 

Maximising viewership is just one of cricket’s priorities; another is increasing participation. Chantella Perera addressed the significance of youth participation: 

“Elite pathways don’t have to be what every child goes through. I think the notion of having fun and participating is a wonderful thing cricket can do for our community. Building participation from grassroots—taking people from childhood to adulthood, who then become fans and bring their families to venues to create lifelong memories—is incredibly important.” 

Chantella also reflected on cricket’s power to engage communities and cultures, citing her experience at the men’s World Cup in Australia: 

“Sport, in general, is a vehicle for change and brings communities and cultures together. I remember watching India vs. Pakistan at the MCG, and seeing the crowd come to life was wonderful. Cricket being able to do that is special.” 

On the other hand, social media presents both opportunities and challenges for the sport. James pointed out its impact on players: 

“In cricket, particularly with the huge sports betting market, players get significant feedback after each game if they haven’t contributed the way people expect—especially if money is on them. It’s grown in the last couple of years, and it’s something I have to actively manage during the year to ensure players maintain their confidence.” 

Despite its challenges, Aman emphasized how social media can be a valuable tool for cricketers, particularly in India: 

“It’s extremely important for Indian cricketers. They take it very seriously, as fans want to see what their favourite athletes are doing. If the athlete loves to dance, fans want to see it, if the athlete loves to sing, fans want to see it. I’ve managed the social media of cricketers myself and I’ve noticed there’s a lot of recurring money in it. If you look at a brand ambassador deal, it tends to be one year, but with social media, brands pay cricketers per reel or per story.IPL franchises also look at the social media following of a cricketer when they want to buy them, so social media plays an extremely important role.” 

Chantella then summarised it up perfectly: 

“Fans want to see that athletes are doing. That’s what engages fans. What we’re trying to leverage is how can we bring those athletes’ personalities to life!” 

To read more about our previous Insight Series sessions or sign up to attend our upcoming ones, click here

Article by Zakaria Anani 

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