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JAA’s John Ayling: cricket’s return to Channel 4 is a great opportunity for advertisers – and the game

Channel 4 securing the UK broadcast of England versus India so late in the day has bowled their sales team a doosra. Yet there are many reasons for advertisers to celebrate and take advantage of this first live Test match on terrestrial TV since that famous Ashes test series in 2005.

Channel 4’s advertisers can take advantage of the match being played in a time zone that will be a distraction to those working from home. The opportunity to reach significant volumes of ABC1 Adults at an unusual time of day is clearly strong and there is the added benefit of the secondary audiences.

This match not only brings together the two best sides in the world. It also enables advertisers to shrewdly target Asian cricket fans too. Indeed, it also fits with Channel 4’s updated Diversity and Inclusion strategy from last year too.

I was at Lords when England won the 2019 ICC World Cup and my phone was humming with messages from people watching the final on terrestrial TV with their children. Going back 20 years to the development of T20 and ODIs and the proliferation of global series has thrown up challenges and opportunities.

Sky’s coverage and support of cricket has been superb. However, the next six weeks will allow a lot more people to watch Test match cricket who don’t necessarily have pay TV and will positively encourage their children and grandchildren to get involved in the sport.

If the Channel 4’s sales team play the conditions well, then smart advertisers from the financial services, technology and automotive categories will take advantage of this rare opportunity.

John Ayling is Founder and Executive Chairman at John Ayling & Associates.

About JAA: John Ayling & Associates is the original media independent planning and buying company for businesses that understand that first class media thinking delivers business growth.

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