Page 131 - Demo

129With the help of a weighty chequebook, Kerry Packer poached some of the best cricketers from around the globe, and thus, in 1977, World Series Cricket was born.In the 1970s, cricket on television in Australia was a staid, exclusively ABC TV a%u00a0air. There was little innovation, with a smattering of cameras placed around the grounds, and the coverage hadn%u2019t evolved alongside the advent of colour TV. Despite bumper attendances and the players%u2019 high profiles, they were paid poorly, and most had %u2018proper%u2019 jobs.Seeing the sport%u2019s huge potential, Channel 9 boss Kerry Packer approached the Australian Cricket Board seeking the broadcast rights. However, they refused his advances and sent him on his way.In response, Kerry decided to create his own competition. With the help of a weighty chequebook, he poached some of the best cricketers from around the globe, and thus, in 1977, World Series Cricket was born.Branding was key to the competition%u2019s success, presenting the sport in a fresh, exciting way. And every strong brand needs a good logo. The concept for the World Series Cricket logo came from John Cornell. Cornell, well known as Paul Hogan%u2019s sidekick %u2018Strop%u2019 on the ratings smash%u00a0The Paul Hogan Show, was also an astute businessman, having discovered and managed Hogan. As well as recruiting players for Packer, he envisaged a logo that would become synonymous with the competition, forever linked to legendary players like Dennis Lillee, Rod Marsh, Viv Richards, Joel Garner and the Chappell brothers.The logo, featuring a red ball above three black stumps, was integral to presenting World Series Cricket as something new and dynamic. The competition popularised one-day cricket and introduced innovations like day/night matches. It was also central to the commercialisation of the sport. Tie-ins were established with brands such as McDonald%u2019s, which o%u00a0ered World Series Cricket team posters including Ronald McDonald in the team photo. Eventually, an agreement was reached with the Australian Cricket Board, and Nine ended up with the rights both to broadcast the cricket and to retain the World Series Cricket brand. The logo continued with the burgeoning one-day internationals.While the identity of the logo%u2019s designer remains unknown, its legacy in Australian sporting culture is undeniable.YEAR 1977DESIGNER Nine Network