Durham Cricket have been shortlisted for two awards at the prestigious Business of Cricket Awards (BOCA).
The annual awards which are held at Edgbaston on Thursday evening, recognise and reward First Class Counties and MCC personnel who work tirelessly to show influence, insight, and innovation, taking the experience of cricket for its fans beyond.
Durham Cricket have been shortlisted in the Best Digital Creative Content and Community Engagement Campaign of the Year awards.
Community Engagement Campaign of the Year
Durham Cricket appointed a Community Engagement Officer aimed to support organisations and groups within the community to encourage engagement with Cricket. This particular initiative saw us work with a treatment and recovery program who aimed to use Cricket to aid recovery.
A cricket group for people recovering from substance use in Hartlepool was one of the groups which benefited from Durham Cricket in 2024.
The group, run by Hartlepool’s Integrated Substance Misuse Service (START), meets every Monday from 10am-12pm at Park Drive, home of Hartlepool Cricket Club.
Launched only in May, the Club supported the group with necessary equipment, fostering engagement through a recognisable player, and documenting the journey enhanced the initiative’s effectiveness.
Durham’s efforts aimed to break down barriers, promote participation, and ultimately create a thriving community around shared interests and goals. This approach demonstrated our commitment to fostering community engagement and supporting local initiatives.
Best Digital Creative Content
Durham Cricket’s commitment to providing a world-class viewing experience led to the development of a broadcast standard live streaming service. This transformative initiative aimed to elevate our content to a level that could compete with traditional network broadcasts, attracting a wider audience and enhancing our club’s overall reach.
This included upgraded camera Equipment, investing in high-quality cameras and lenses to capture the action in stunning detail, enhanced production values Implementing a new mixing desk to ensure superior audio quality and overall production standards.
The club introduced a dedicated studio constructing a professional-looking studio environment with appropriate lighting, sound equipment, and graphics, while using world class commentary including Steve Harmison and David Lloyd; while also providing commentary opportunities to young aspiring sports journalists and recent graduates giving them the chance to commentate in a professional sports environment working to professional industry standard.