Since our article introduced FrogBox, the live streaming kit for cricket clubs, there’s been lots of interest and teams are snapping them up for this season.
In this new content collaboration, I’ve interviewed Scott Ledger of West Bretton Cricket Club, about how they get the best from FrogBox.
We’ll dive into:
- Why they bought a FrogBox cricket streaming kit in the first place
- How they promote their sponsors on the live stream
- How FrogBox has paid for itself in less than 2 years
- What the feedback has been from players and umpires
If you want to learn more about FrogBox, see a demo and have your questions answered then call Chris Watling on 07467 863051 or email him at [email protected].
Credit: Keith Williams
It’s a Saturday afternoon in March and Scott, a Premier League assistant referee, has time to talk club cricket with me. Periodically, he’ll give me updates from the Test series in the West Indies while one of his dogs snuffles in the background.
As we put the world to rights, Scott is clearly a man that loves his club cricket. He plays for West Bretton Cricket Club in the Pontefract Cricket League, with 800+ runs and a handy batting average of 58 last season.
West Bretton, a village seven miles South of Wakefield and adjacent to Yorkshire Sculpture Park, have a cricket club undergoing an exciting transformation.
Funds loaned or donated by members formed the backbone of their pavilion being extended by 10 metres.
Facilities now include a whopping 85-inch TV (that shows the FrogBox cricket live stream during the match with a separate TV outside for good measure).
Apparently, players will dash to a telly after a decision, boundary or controversy to take advantage of the 5-second delay on the feed.
Why did West Bretton choose FrogBox?
The decision came from the Chairman who passed the FrogBox details to Scott, having spotted it via the ECB (FrogBox is the only streaming solution to connect with Play-Cricket Scorer and Play-Cricket Live).
West Bretton became enthusiastic, early-adopters of FrogBox in the UK when the Covid-disrupted 2020 season got underway.
The first eleven match against Streethouse was their debut of being beamed live on Play-Cricket with the West Bretton Sports YouTube channel offering match footage and highlights.
Scott comes across as a cricket badger who revels in the tech that FrogBox opens up to any club or school: ‘You can watch individual highlights on Play-Cricket and then I do a highlights package and put it out there for the world to see – and it’s absolutely great!’
Beyond the novelty factor and bloopers on social media that go viral, the uses for FrogBox live streaming are many.
Yes, it’s a selling point for potential members; a genuine talking point for everyone who plays at your club all season.
But, there are also the universal aspect of beating time zones and its potential with cricket coaching.
A young off-spinner studying at the University of Huddersfield, Sahej, signed for West Bretton for that crazy half a season in 2020. Through FrogBox, it allowed that relationship and connection to a Yorkshire club to continue.
As Scott said: ‘This is the beauty of FrogBox, Sahej was watching our games live from India! Then, when he came back and played for us again, his dad could watch him play cricket from Mumbai.’
Another West Bretton player is from Carlisle and his dad will watch the full match back on YouTube on a Monday morning.
Cricket coaching dimension
With FrogBox, there are those who want to watch themselves to improve and it’s all there ready; like an online cricket coaching hub.
Keen to see your trigger movements, bowling action or wicket-keeping technique? No problem. Sometimes, we learn better when we watch ourselves, rather than be told what the issue is.
It’s possible to extract FrogBox highlights of a certain player with all of the boundaries or wickets.
Scott’s view: ‘Watching yourself and others bat, it’s a great coaching tool. By watching myself back, I tweaked my technique and it’s helped me massively.’
He makes the valid point that you can set up a camera to film nets but you’re not in a game scenario with all the variables like outdoor conditions and opposing teams.
How West Bretton bagged a live streaming sponsorship deal
As with many sponsorship deals, it came about through building personal relationships; in this case, Scott buying a Newbery Cricket bat and getting to know the owner a little.
All cricket clubs have members and supporters who are their own marketplace for potential sponsors. It might be a teamwear company, cricket bats or nothing to do with the game like an estate agent or garage.
If you’re clear on what you’re offering, the benefits and pricing then it’s just about making a convincing ask.
Newbery Cricket are now the sponsor of West Bretton’s social media channels including FrogBox, which the deal has helped to pay for in less than two years.
In addition, all West Bretton players (and any other teams who go through Scott) get 15% off Newbery equipment.
The Newbery logo on their FrogBox cricket coverage on YouTube has inevitably caught the attention of other cricketers and clubs, conversations spark up and so Newbery gets new customers. Win-win.
You know how it is. Cricketers are always curious about new kit and bats in a changing room. When Scott signed the Newbery deal, he was the only one using Newbery across three teams whereas now it’s more like 17 players:
‘If we didn’t have FrogBox, we probably wouldn’t have that relationship with Newbery.”
In case you’re wondering about how to add sponsors, there are four different sponsor locations for your cricket club live stream. along with eight sponsor slots available on the screen, whenever there’s a break in play.
It’s a commercial opportunity waiting to be grabbed. Either you sign up an exclusive live streaming sponsor now you have something new to sell. Or, you have a fresh proposition to offer existing sponsors as an extra benefit at a greater premium as the hook to renew.
Absolutely crucially, and this is the real benefit when you’re selling, the statistics don’t lie. Your cricket club can say exactly how many views you have or subscribers in a way that an advertising board is, let’s face it, a bit speculative.
Player Recruitment Tool
At the risk of making FrogBox sound like this magical all-in-one solution to your club’s problems, it is eye-catching and therefore can help your club with new players.
Creating a point of difference is a real challenge for clubs, particularly in the many hotspots that exist in Yorkshire. Whether Bradford, Sheffield, Halifax or Leeds to name a few, there are many others offering cricket on your doorstep.
Players will pick based on the standard of cricket, perhaps a mate that plays there, yes, there might be cash involved too but facilities are important.
Scott reckons: ‘In the 18 months we’ve used FrogBox, I can think (off the top of my head) three players who’ve come because they’ve learnt about the club through FrogBox.’
Besides, who wouldn’t want to see themselves batting or bowling on a live stream? Live streaming is still relatively niche in club cricket but clubs are catching on and making the leap.
I leave Scott to the Test match although not before he confides in me one last party trick.
West Bretton certainly come across as an outfit that like their tech. But even I was surprised to learn they’ve had an underground sprinkler system fitted that the groundsman can activate via an app on his phone!
Thanks to Scott for his insight and good luck to West Bretton this season. I hear it’s a batting paradise there and the teas are something else so they’re definitely on Cricket Yorkshire’s shortlist for a visit…
Surely we’re sticking with the umpires decision of NOT OUT here. Mel Wood (70+) brother of Barry is the bowler @BumbleCricket pic.twitter.com/RvjBCoaqGl
— West Bretton CC (@WestBrettonCC) May 10, 2021
Learn more about FrogBox for your cricket club
I’ve written this FrogBox Cricket Guide including: how does FrogBox work, what the package has and what the costs are. All there so you can discuss it with your committee and make a decision.
If you want to learn more about FrogBox, see a demo and have your questions answered then call Chris Watling on 07467 863051 or email him at [email protected].
Here’s a short summary for your cricket club committee to print/email, discuss and think about.
For the latest on social media, follow @FrogBoxLive on Twitter or FrogBox on Facebook.
You can also check out FrogBox on TikTok & they’re @frogboxlive on Instagram.
Cricket Yorkshire is partnering with FrogBox for 2022 and will be sharing advice on the technology including interviews with clubs.
This is a sponsored article for FrogBox – if the mood takes you, click to read Cricket Yorkshire’s policy on sponsored content*
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