The Hundred grows fan database with 20-Ball Predictor
Team talk
When the English Cricket Board (ECB) launched The Hundred, a new domestic tournament in 2021 , it set out to make cricket more accessible to and exciting for new audiences.
The ECB wanted to create a fun and dynamic experience that attracted young fans and kept them watching all season.
But it also needed to start monetizing this engagement by growing and nurturing a first-party fan database.
The Hundred’s brief:
- Create a unique, digital gamification product that engages new, youthful audiences
- Help to build a direct-to-fan strategy and nurture a first-party database of fans
- Drive commercial partner value with tailored in-game activations and sponsorable features
Tactics
After discussing the ECB’s goals, Genius proposed a 20-Ball Predictor game. This is a simple and easy-to-use format designed to drive in-game engagement.
Hosted within The Hundred’s official mobile app, the game:
- Requires a sign-up and hands the ECB valuable first-party fan data
- Empowers fans to predict the events of the second innings for all men’s and women’s fixtures
- Is available daily through the tournament.
The launch also helped the ECB to activate its headline sponsor, online car retailer Cazoo. Cazoo’s activation included branding the predictor game and running a competition that awarded a £10,000 Cazoo car voucher prize to the overall winner.
Genius provided strategic guidance on promotional tactics, including push messaging strategy.
Final result
The Hundred is fast becoming a must-watch for UK sports fans, broadcast live on free-to-air and paid TV stations. It’s successfully engaging the new generation of fan and, thanks to the 20-Ball Predictor, allows the ECB to grow and nurture a rich fan database.
- 67% increase in registrations at start of season two
- 288% increase in number of predictions at start of season two
- 16m+ live TV viewers in season one