sport news Test side facing complex issues to appeal to fans with Cricket Australia ... trends now
A predicted sell-out at the Gabba for the first Test against South Africa just a month after a diabolical crowd in Perth has laid bare the complex issues facing Australian cricket's perception problem.
Many former Aussie legends, including Michael Clarke and Adam Gilchrist, have said fans have been voting with their feet when it comes to the men's side.
Over five days in Perth, just 41,918 fans attended the first Test match of the summer against the West Indies, while there were more seagulls than people flocking to an irrelevant ODI series with England that started just days after the T20 World Cup.
After a glorious era led by Mark Taylor, Steve Waugh and then Ricky Ponting, controversy has since continued to plague men's cricket in Australia, though the women are enjoying sky-high sentiment thanks to the broad appeal of players like Alyssa Healy and Ellyse Perry.
The Aussie side celebrates, with a near empty crowd in the background, winning the first Test in Perth. A much better crowd is expected for the South Africa series
Captain Pat Cummins' outspoken stance on climate change has alienated some supporters, particularly given the current environment of prominent athletes wanting a say in multi-million advertising decision.
When he effectively appeared to force Cricket Australia's hand into dropping a $40million sponsorship with energy company Alinta due to his climate change agenda, opinion of the national side plummeted even further.
Cricket Australia denied Cummins had any hand in the partnership not continuing beyond the year in a statement, but the public perception remains the same.
But is an outspoken climate change agenda the reason why fans in Brisbane will pack into a sold-out Gabba for day one of the Test against South Africa...but not for the first of the summer against the West Indies in Perth last week?
Aussie skipper Pat Cummins (right) and popular spinner Nathan Lyon (left) look on during the first Test against the West Indies. The men's Test side in particular has faced a rollercoaster of public sentiment
The climate-focused Greens party picked up four inner-Brisbane seats in the Federal election; but that is a long bow to draw and inference from.
New research from True North suggests many would prefer Cummins and his teammates stick to cricket, but the players are also bearing the brunt of the 'failings from Cricket Australia's head office', according to News Corp.
'The Australian men's Test team often bears the brunt of failings from Cricket Australia's head office and the sport's ability to shoot itself in the foot,' the report said.
The ball-tampering saga and the ugly handling of Justin Langer and Tim Paine's departures as coach and captain respectively by head office are easy examples than that.
However True North's director, Chris Hobden, said it was still clear Cummins and co's outspoken views very having some affect.
