Leicestershire has teamed up with the Cricket Supporters’ Association (CSA) to tackle the major diversity problem in the sport.
An investigation by Sportsmail in September 2020 found that the entire county only had three BAME players out of 24.
The report refers to the whole of Leicestershire, which includes Leicestershire County Cricket Club.
To combat the issue, the county will conduct the ‘BIG Cricket Survey’ which will hone in on all aspects of the game, aiming to create a better understanding of where the sport sits across the 56 nationalities in Leciestershire.
Leicestershire County Cricket Club (LCCC) Chief Executive Officer, Sean Jarvis, said: “Leicestershire CCC is a club for everyone, and we are committed to improving our engagement with residents.
“This survey is incredibly important to us, to not only engage with the diverse communities across the county, but for us to improve our understanding of how they interact and participate with cricket.
“All views shared in the survey will help shape the future of what we do here at the club and so we are asking everyone to share it as widely as possible to encourage as many people as possible to complete the survey.”
The initiative is part of the CSA’s equality, diversity and inclusion work and aims to “make the club a safe space for everyone, no matter the background, sexual orientation, faith, race or other characteristic.”
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A statement in the latest County Partnership Agreement, states: “The group will push for the ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) to set targets around the recruitment of coaches from diverse backgrounds from grassroots to professional level.”
The ‘BIG Cricket Survey’ will be conducted through one-to-one conversations, aiming to examine consumers’ attitudes and engagement levels with the sport.
Any barriers will then be examined in an effort to understand how entry and experiences affect participation and spectators.
CEO of the CSA, Becky Fairlie-Clarke, added: “We are over the moon to have partnered up with Leicestershire CCC.
“It is clear that Sean and his team are very focused on not only finding out how existing fans engage with the game, but also seeking to understand what potential or new fans think and how they can make sure this new audience feels included, welcomed and part of the Foxes family.
“The research will help draw out insight and knowledge to be used across all of the work at Leicestershire CCC and at Grace Road.”
The CSA will fully analyse results and provide insight into what next steps Leicestershire can take to grow the supporter base within the county.
The survey can be found on the official websites of both Leicestershire and the CSA.