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Ntini boosts cricket growth
01/12/2007 16:20 - (SA)
Port Elizabeth - Makhaya Ntini's success in being elected as the country's most popular sportsperson for the third successive year is also playing a major part in the spectacular growth that cricket is experiencing among the public.
This was one of the key findings to come out of the 2007 BMI Adult Sporttrack survey that was released this week. This is an annual independent survey among spectators over the age of 18 years.
Ntini had already been selected as the most popular sportsperson in the junior survey (for the second successive year) released last month among spectators in the 13 to 18 age group.
The new adult survey reflects a stunning 10.4% increase in the adult cricket audience at a time when there has been an average decline of 0.4% among all sports.
What is particularly significant is that there has been a growth of 14% in the adult black audience. The total cricket audience, combining the adult and junior surveys, now tops the 12 million mark for the first time and comfortably keeps cricket as the second most popular sport after soccer.
Thank all cricket enthusiasts
"It is most gratifying to see that we are progressing well on the road to make cricket a truly national sport," commented Cricket South Africa CEO Gerald Majola. "I would like to thank all cricket enthusiasts for their ongoing support."
Ntini remains the only non-soccer player to have achieved the top ranking in both age groups. "It means a lot to me to get this level of support from the public," commented Ntini.
"I have always tried to treat the fans the same way I treat members of my own family and it is just as important to have their support as it is to go out there and take wickets for my country."
Herschelle Gibbs, Graeme Smith, Shaun Pollock and Jacques Kallis are other members of the Proteas team who have top 20 rankings among the adult spectator audience. Pollock has now moved up to fourth place on the list.
Remarkably, Jonty Rhodes, the Proteas fielding coach, continues to feature as a popular cricketer in the survey in spite of the fact that he retired more than four years ago.
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