The Hundred had a goal in mind, to grow cricket’s following to include a younger, more family-orientated and diverse audience.
To accomplish this, The Hundred had to challenge the current perceptions of cricket amongst these potential new audiences and become a sporting revolution that invites everyone to fall in love with the game at its intense, incredible best. The Hundred was driven to throw open cricket’s doors to all - and it did just that.
FutureBrand worked with The ECB to differentiate The Hundred from the rest of the cricket landscape. The Hundred soon became a creative exploration, and the brand identity emerged from a combination of vibrant and inclusive positivity. It broadens the appeal by challenging perceptions of cricket by being unlike anything that has come before - a unique, distinctively different, entertainment-focused competition brand.
The Hundred tournament went live in 2021. For the first time, a standalone women’s match launched a cricket competition in England. That initial game pulled in an audience of 1.6 million, setting a record for a women’s match in England.
Both the women’s and the men’s tournaments delivered entertainment, action, and equally spilt success. The new format of the short and action-packed game kept The Hundred fans engaged throughout. The diverse crowd - filled with families, young children, women, and men - roared with colours and hand-drawn signs, supporting each different team.
Not only did The Hundred’s success bring a new audience to the game, it also showcased some of the most talented cricketers in England, men, and women alike. And this is just the beginning.
2022 will see the tournament climb to new heights. Sanjay Patel, Managing Director of The Hundred, spoke with City AM about the importance of engaging people in a different way; and by doing that, how the rest of cricket will benefit.
This vibrant, dramatic, fast-paced competition welcomes all to be a part of making cricket history, in this new sporting spectacle.
