Caribbean Premier League (CPL) COO Michael Hall has revealed the competition’s delight at increased interest in viewership demand, despite the scaled down nature of this season’s tournament.

With the region and globe disrupted by the effects of the coronavirus this year’s edition of the tournament will be held in Trinidad and Tobago.  The event, which will get under way August 18, will be played in a bio secure environment and without fans, which Hall admits is a big challenge.

“We will be no different than any other sporting event that has taken place since the pandemic.  Is it going to be the same, ‘absolutely not’,” Hall told the Mason and Guest radio program.

The CPL has throughout the years being known for vociferous fans, which some speculate might affect the intensity level of the cricket played.

“I don’t know how much of a factor (no spectators) that is in players performances.  I’ve always heard that the really great athletes shut out the crowd and focus, so I don’t know. But are we going to miss the fans, absolutely there are the lifeblood of the tournament,” he added.

“We are still having the tournament though, fans or no fans.  I know for a fact based on feedback.  Based on feedback, these are things that we track, the anticipation for our global viewing audience has almost trebled.  There have been people reaching out to ask where we can watch it, saying we are dying to watch it and that is only good for the league.”

The CPL will be the first T20 tournament played since the start of the pandemic.