On a brisk Thursday evening at Edgbaston Cricket Ground, the spotlight wasn’t on the batsmen or bowlers, but on the masterminds of county cricket.
The 2024 Business of Cricket Awards unfolded with all the drama and excitement of a final over thriller, celebrating those who work wonders behind the scenes.
Hampshire County Cricket Club stole the show, nabbing three prestigious titles. They clinched the Transforming the Women’s Game award, Best Women’s International Spectator Experience, and the Sponsorship Campaign of the Year.
Their ‘Project Double It’ turned heads as Utilita Bowl sold out an England Women’s international match, a first, marrying commercial savvy with passion for the game.
This effort, paired with the largest solar PV array in a UK stadium, shone bright under Hampshire’s innovative partnership with Utilita.
Not to be overshadowed, Lancashire County Cricket Club swept up awards for Communications Campaign of the Year and Best Digital/Data Innovation.
Their LancsTV has become a fan-favourite, racking up half a million views with broadcasts that are as sharp as a spinner’s turn. The ‘Red Rose Together’ campaign proved just as captivating, painting a picture of community and growth that reached millions.
Warwickshire wasn’t far behind, hailed for having the Most Welcoming and Inclusive Stadia, alongside winning the Sustainability Campaign of the Year.
Their knack for turning old drinks cups into new dreams with a 114% increase in recycling is nothing short of impressive. It’s initiatives like these that show Warwickshire’s green isn’t just the grass on the pitch.
Over in Nottinghamshire, the crowd was treated to some truly spectacular match-day experiences, so much so that the club scooped up awards for both the Best Men’s International Spectator Experience and The Hundred’s Best Spectator Experience. They really have a knack for staging events that keep fans talking well after the final over.
Surrey County Cricket Club stood out with their Raising the Game EDI Initiative Award, breaking down barriers with their Academic Cricket Scholars program. They’ve set the stage for state school children of all backgrounds to swing for the fences, both in cricket and in life.
And let’s not forget Yorkshire’s groundstaff star, Jasmine Nicholls, the first woman to prep a pitch at Headingley for an England v Pakistan Women’s IT20 game. She snagged the Rising Star award, proving the grass is indeed greener where you water it.
From sustainability to digital innovation and community engagement, this year’s BOCA winners have set the bar high.
They’ve shown that cricket isn’t just played on the field; it’s imagined, enhanced, and celebrated in every nook of the stadium and every line of code in the digital world.
As the evening wrapped up, Richard Thompson, Chair of the ECB, couldn’t hide his admiration. “Huge congratulations to all of this year’s BOCA winners.
It has been a privilege to celebrate the very best of the work carried out by First-Class Counties and MCC across England and Wales this year.
“The innovation and dedication shown has been truly inspiring. It’s fantastic to see the impact of Hampshire’s extensive efforts in growing the women’s game, Warwickshire’s continued commitment to sustainability, Lancashire’s ground-breaking digital strategy, and so much more.
All this work shows a real commitment across the game to becoming bigger, better and more inclusive.”
| Award Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Tickets or Membership Sales & Marketing Campaign of the Year | Gloucestershire Cricket |
| Sustainability Campaign of the Year – Waste | Warwickshire County Cricket Club |
| Best Digital Creative Content | Durham County Cricket Club |
| Communications Campaign of the Year | Lancashire County Cricket Club |
| Community Engagement Campaign of the Year | Worcestershire County Cricket Club |
| Transforming the Women’s Game | Hampshire County Cricket Club |
| Customer Retention Initiative of the Year | Essex County Cricket Club |
| Best Digital/Data Innovation | Lancashire County Cricket Club |
| Most Welcoming & Inclusive Stadia | Warwickshire County Cricket Club |
| Best Development or New Facility (over £500,000) | Marylebone Cricket Club |
| Best Women’s International Spectator Experience | Hampshire County Cricket Club |
| Best Men’s International Spectator Experience | Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club |
| Best Development or New Facility (under £500,000) | Leicestershire County Cricket Club |
| Sponsorship Campaign of the Year | Hampshire County Cricket Club |
| Best Domestic Spectator Experience | Glamorgan County Cricket Club |
| Best Spectator Experience – The Hundred | Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club |
| Raising the Game EDI Initiative Award | Surrey County Cricket Club |
| Rising Star | Jasmine Nicholls, Yorkshire CCC |
| Dinesh Patel MVP | Ben Warren, Somerset CCC |
As the pitches settle in for their winter slumber, you can bet the folks steering these cricket counties are just getting started.
With this year’s BOCA winners leading the way, the future of cricket sparkles ahead, as inviting as a sunlit bat on a warm summer’s day, ready for the next innings.