How YouTube Radicalized Cricket

The cricket industry is centuries-old, and it has come a long way since its emergence in 16th century England. Today, the game is adored by millions on different continents, with India, Australia, and England being the biggest locations. Over the years, the game has evolved, and so have the ways of viewing it.

Today, fans do not need to leave their homes to watch a live event. Thanks to social media and YouTube, cricket news and highlights are easier to follow than ever before. You can find replays and sports analytics online — for example, watch this video on stumped to see Chris Gayle’s cricket feats. So, how exactly has the video-sharing platform modified the game?

Historical Perspective

The mid-1920s saw the very first radio broadcast of a cricket match performed by the ABC Corporation. Previously, cricket news was only printed in newspapers. Modern fans would probably regard this state of affairs as an information vacuum. We can no longer imagine sports without immediate access to replays or live streaming.

However, in the days of yore, it was impossible to watch a match without your physical presence at a stadium, and the situation remained unchanged for two more decades until the first television broadcasts of the 1950s. ABC covered cricket tournaments held by ICC. 

As time passed, the game evolved, taking on new formats and communication media. Today, cricket is televised and broadcast to the international audience through many tools, including radio, the Internet, and the ubiquitous social media

Times and technologies have changed. In 2010, the Indian Premier League started collaborating with YouTube to stream the series, and the partnership was a huge success. It was estimated that the live footage was watched by 50 million people residing in 200+ countries, and the majority of those people were in India and the USA.

The Rise of Live Streaming

Today, YouTube offers a live streaming feature, which has transformed the way we perceive game broadcasts. Sports fans never want to miss an exciting match, and it is now incredibly easy to keep track of all the scheduled tournaments and watch them unfold. And this is not limited to cricket — the network covers soccer, hockey, wrestling, and tennis, with Wimbledon matches broadcast live.

And there is more. While YouTube uploads include counters displaying the number of times a video is watched, live events come with their own special indicator. It is now possible to see the number of viewers watching a YouTube Live streaming video. It is, naturally, a useful tool for statistics and audience analysis.

Fans can now catch every game as it is happening. Thanks to the platform, there is access to live broadcasts of major events from our portable devices. For instance, in addition to free videos and live channels, there are premium membership options, such as the YouTube Live cricket summer match package offered by Willow TV. 

YouTube TV

Another great option for cricket lovers is YouTube TV. This streaming platform comprises the most popular channels, including those with cricket coverage. For only $40 a month, you get access to NBC Sports and countless others.

A useful bonus is the cloud DVR option, which means you may record the match and store it on the server for nine months. Finally, the streaming content can be watched on up to three devices simultaneously.

ICC YouTube Channel

The International Cricket Council recognizes the potential of video sharing via the popular platform. The main governing body for the game, it has joined forces with Little Dot Studios for channel management during the biggest international event — The Cricket World Cup.

The contractor is now managing over 150 other YouTube channels, bringing their producers over 5 billion views monthly. The company was tasked with match highlight optimization during the event, which also included content on Twitter and Facebook.

Such steps only prove that ICC is harnessing the power of social media in general and the video-sharing giant in particular to expand its reach. And the effects are obvious. The growing audience numbers are perfect evidence of success.