Stunning Ashes Success Presents Exciting Challenge To Game — 14/09/2005

Stunning Ashes Success Presents Exciting Challenge To Game – 14/09/2005 The Professional Cricketers’ Association, the representative body for past and present professional cricketers, is absolutely delighted for the England Cricket Team on their stunning Ashes success and congratulates the entire squad, coaching staff and management team. Group chief executive of the PCA, Richard Bevan, said: ” We’ve just witnessed a summer of some of the most breathtaking cricket ever played in this country and the eventual Ashes victory is confirmation that the professionalisation of the game has created a world-beating team. ” The Ashes success lays down the gauntlet to the rest of the game in England and Wales, with the counties in particular being presented with a golden opportunity to capitalise on the surge of interest in the sport.” Key Focus Below are some of the key focus areas. The PCA & the ECB will be working in partnership with all the stakeholders in the game to achieve these goals: Participation • Continued investment in schools embracing the Chance to Shine project • Increase numbers participating in cricket to sustain popularity at grassroots level and develop England stars of the future • Continued development of coaches and volunteers to ensure participation at grassroots level is properly managed • Increase the role of current and former professional cricketers to work across all levels of the game Commercial • Continue to attract new revenue streams into the game • Build and expand commercial opportunities with sponsors • Develop customer loyalty with supporters club and members programmes • Develop sponsorships that provide cricket with a high street presence • Develop innovative packages for sponsors and commercial partners PR • Understand crickets various markets and develop programmes to embrace them • Develop the public’s understanding of the game both at international and domestic level • Continue to create hero’s and role models Investment • Continue to lobby government to allocate public money to develop programmes and facilities