Notts Outlaws have enjoyed their best ever attendances in domestic T20 cricket with 60,982 watching NatWest T20 Blast group games at Trent Bridge in 2014.
The Outlaws rounded off their home fixtures with victory over Leicestershire Foxes on Sunday in front of a crowd of 10,147 and will contest a home quarter-final if they can beat Northamptonshire and Yorkshire on the road this week.
An average crowd of 8,712 across seven group matches has been surpassed only by Surrey who have led the way with more than 100,000 watching T20 cricket in the capital this season.
“Nowhere compares to Trent Bridge in terms of the atmosphere generated at T20 matches.” Riki Wessels
The average group stage attendance at Trent Bridge is up by 591 from 8,121 in 2013 to 8,712 in 2014, a rise of 7.3%. By virtue of the expansion of the group stage from five home games to seven, total attendance has risen by 50.2% from 40,605 in 2013 to 60,982 this year.
Trent Bridge has topped spectator experience polls for the past five seasons and remains committed to enhancing the matchday offering.
“The NatWest T20 Blast has been extremely well supported at Trent Bridge this season and it’s particularly pleasing to see a growth in average attendance despite the expansion of the group stage,” said Nottinghamshire Ticket Office Manager Nigel Murray.
“Friday night cricket has proved popular but we’ve also had great crowds on weekend afternoons.”
Attendances
10,971 v Lancashire
6,576 v Worcs
7,269 v Durham
7,795 v Warwickshire
9,383 v Derbyshire
8,841 v Yorkshire
10,147 v Leics
Aside from Notts and Surrey, no other county is yet to surpass an aggregate attendance in excess of 50,000 although Middlesex will expect to pass that figure comfortably when they host Surrey at Lord’s on Friday.
“Nowhere compares to Trent Bridge in terms of the atmosphere generated at T20 matches,” said Riki Wessels, the Outlaws’ leading NatWest T20 Blast run-scorer this season.
“Even when we had a dip towards the start of the competition, the crowd stayed with us and we have made home advantage pay.”
If Notts do secure a home berth in the last eight, they must end a run a of three straight home defeats in the knockout stage of the competition.
“The best sides rise to the top during the group stage but there will always be odd results in T20 cricket and anyone can beat anyone,” said Wessels.
“We know our best chance of reaching finals day is to play at home and we are determined to use home advantage in the quarters.”
The Outlaws’ remaining two group stage fixtures will be televised live on Sky Sports on Wednesday and Friday. Quarter-finals will be staged on 1, 2 and 3 August.