“It’s not just cricket”—exploring the expectations and experiences of the connoisseur sport tourist

Abstract

Cricket is a team sport that dates back to the 13th Century. Its many traditions and terminologies are not the easiest to explain to someone who has never seen it before, or indeed to someone watching it live for the very first time. In 2018, over a thousand Test Match Cricket spectators were approached at two 5‑day Test Matches between New Zealand’s Black Caps and England, the first of which was the first ever Day–Night Test Match fixture scheduled between the two teams. A post-trip survey was sent out to 860 valid email addresses collected within the grandstands at Auckland’s Eden Park Stadium and, a week later, on the grass embankments at Christchurch’s Hagley Oval. The aim of the study was to capture spectator satisfaction, expectations and experiences of Test Match Cricket. This study profiles the expectations and experiences of 86 English sport tourists who completed the online questionnaire, all of whom had travelled over 18,000 km specifically to follow their national cricket team. The findings both support and strengthen those published within some existing cricket-related studies, suggesting that the format and frequency of the fixture significantly influences the mindset and movements of the target market. The recommendations focus on the importance placed upon the social interaction encountered during the fixtures and the need to ensure that the local hospitality generates a positive sport tourist experience.