Cricket Australia to bring fans closer together with new digital products via Accenture

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04newsitemitch.jpgCricket Australia has launched a new suite of digital offerings via digital partner Accenture, to help fans follow every ball of the cricket this summer and into 2015.

 

The digital overhaul, an outcome of Cricket Australia’s partnership with the Nine Entertainment Company is designed to bring fans closer to the cricket.

Based on extensive user feedback, the new digital offerings include a redesign of the cricket news site cricket.com.au, the creation of a new corporate Cricket Australia website, cricketaustralia.com.au, a redesign of the Cricket Australia Live app and the introduction of new functionality across each of the digital properties.

 

Says Ben Amarfio, executive general manager – media, communications and marketing, Cricket Australia: “Since the partnership between Cricket Australia and the Nine Entertainment Company has come into effect we have made positive steps in improving our digital efforts, which is resulting in a great response from cricket fans around the country. The development of our new websites and the app is in direct response to user feedback and we believe that with these changes we are helping fans get closer to the action this summer.”

 

Looking to build on the considerable digital growth of the past year, which has seen Cricket Australia’s website establish itself as the number one cricket website in Australia*,cricket.com.au has been redesigned to make it easier for fans to access the cricket content they want most. With an emphasis on compelling news and entertainment content,cricket.com.au offers the latest cricket news, videos, and scores.

 

Following its successful launch in 2013, the Cricket Australia Live app has been redesigned for the 2014-15 season, bringing it into line with the new look, feel and functionality of cricket.com.au. The app will continue to deliver live steaming video and radio feeds plus the latest news, scores and statistics on iOS and Android devices.

 

The leading feature of cricket.com.au and the Cricket Australia app is its new Match Centre, the home of live cricket coverage. The Match Centre delivers live streaming video content, on demand video highlights within minutes of it happening live and an unprecedented level of match statistics and social media interaction all in the one screen.

 

Accenture was named Cricket Australia’s Official Digital Technology Partner earlier in 2014 and has been involved in the development and delivery of the new suite of digital products.

 

Says James Kim, managing director for media and entertainment in Australia and New Zealand, Accenture: “We are delighted to work with Cricket Australia on these exciting digital solutions which will enhance the fan experience both locally and around the world. Designed with fans in mind, these innovative offerings will allow Cricket Australia’s fans to be closer to the action from anywhere, at any time.”

 

Access to the live video content is available to fans who sign up to the Cricket Live Pass subscription service. The Cricket Live Pass service gives subscribers access to live video content of the KFC T20 INTL Series and Carlton Mid One Day International Series against South Africa, the Commonwealth Bank Test Series against India, the Carlton Mid One Day International Tri-Series against India and England, the KFC T20 Big Bash League and the Ashes Tour of the British Isles 2015, for $29.95**. Cricket Live Pass subscribers will also have exclusive access to extended highlights packages after every day of international cricket played in Australia as well as extended player interviews and incredible footage from the cricket archives. 

 

Complementing the editorial focus of cricket.com.au, cricketaustralia.com.au has been introduced to serve as the corporate website for Cricket Australia. This website houses key information about the organisation and Australian cricket and has a distinct design that differentiates it from the news site, cricket.com.au, while still sharing key news content across both sites.

 

Says Amarfio: “Previously Cricket Australia has had one website trying to serve all purposes for the organisation, which our research showed was confusing for users. We decided that there needed to be a clear separation between the cricket administration and the cricket news, which led to the development of cricketaustralia.com.au.”

 

*According the Nielsen Answers, the official measurement for Australian website traffic.

 

** Cricket Australia Live Passes do not include the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 matches or any other cricket matches played outside of Australia