Client Results / Agencies / Deloitte x NZ Cricket case study

Finding the format New Zealand cricket fans actually want

Project Type
TO BE CONFIRMED

Agency
Deloitte

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The Challenge

NZ Cricket and Deloitte were evaluating four strategic options for the future of domestic T20 cricket in New Zealand - from continuing the existing Super Smash format through to entirely new competition structures.

Alongside financial and performance considerations led by Deloitte, the agency wanted a rigorous, insights-led view of how each option would land with fans: current supporters, latent fans, and the fans of tomorrow.

The Solution

We combined a bespoke rapid-response survey, cricket eco-system modelling and fandom driver modelling to size and score each competition option against how existing and future fans would actually respond.

All of this came together in an adjustable tool that let NZ Cricket and Deloitte weight evaluation criteria and audience segments differently, to see how each option performed under different strategic priorities.

The Outcome

Across every weighting scenario tested - contemporary and future-focused alike - one option consistently outperformed the rest on fan engagement. This gave NZ Cricket and Deloitte:

A ranked comparison of all four options against fan engagement criteria
Market sizing for current, latent and potential fans under each option
Clear visibility of the preferred option's trade-offs, alongside financial and performance factors

Deloitte employed Honoco's fan insights to support their recommendation to NZ Cricket, who have since selected the competition structure identified as the strongest option for fan engagement confirming the insights shaped the decision.

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