The Hindu Business Line : Cricinfo to bat for brand new innings

Interactive activities
In talks with a few radio stations to offer its audio content
Plans second edition of Cricinfo Talk
Also plans Wisden Adopt a Club programme

Bangalore , Dec. 6

Not content with its hugely popular online presence, cricket portal Cricinfo is keen on boosting its brand equity through a host of interactive activities — both online and offline.

These include a roundtable discussion, an online application and an offline activity targeted at promoting the game. It is also in talks with a few radio stations to offer its audio content (expert views on the game).

Part of the Wisden group, Cricinfo plans to launch Cricinfo 3D, an online application that will show live simulation of cricketing action (using animation) from various camera angles, with a delay of one ball.

"It will offer a 360 degree perspective of the game from everybody's perspective — the batsman, bowler, umpire etc. We are currently testing it and hope to have it ready during the ongoing India-South Africa series," said Mr Premdeep Gangadharan, Head of Marketing, Cricinfo India.

Curiously enough, the application has been developed in Russia in collaboration with Wisden's technical teams in India and the UK. Cricinfo Talk, a freewheeling discussion on the game, will see its second edition. The first roundtable discussion featuring Ian Chappell, Tony Greig, Michael Holding and Ravi Shastri, on `How good is the modern day batsmen' was shot in Mumbai recently and Web cast on Cricinfo.com. The second discussion will be held either in Australia or South Africa on the greatest all rounder the game has ever produced ever.

Another initiative on the cards is the Wisden Adopt a Club programme that was kicked off in the UK this year. Cricinfo plans to implement this in India as well.

"This involves local cricketing clubs writing to us explaining why they need to be adopted by us. We get sponsors to sponsor the cricketers' kits, equipment and training for a year," said Mr Gangadharan.

HeadQuarters shifted

Incidentally, Cricinfo recently shifted its global headquarters from London to Bangalore.

India contributes a sizeable part of Cricinfo.com's visitor traffic. "On a average, we get 1-1.8 million visitors a day and about 1,50,000-3,50,000 of them are from India. And this really shoots when India is playing," said Mr Gangadharan.

Cricinfo also entered the offline space with the Cricinfo magazine in January.