Cricket at home was played with the wickets either side of the pool, raising the stakes for classic catches by adding a splashdown at the end. Nowadays, freakish catches and big hits are all part of a day’s work.
“There was never any doubt that sport was always going to be a big part of life, I played tennis and football, but I realised early in life that on the field wasn’t going to be my go,” Dobson said from his home base in Melbourne.
“Growing up our family was involved in sport every day, playing, volunteering and as administrators, I realised from a young age what was required to keep a sport going.”
Dobson studied marketing at university and did an honours degree with a thesis on AFL club membership and what drives the connection between people and their team.
“It was interesting, it was part psychology and part sociology.”
What followed was a job at Melbourne Football Club learning marketing, membership and events and then a range of roles at AFL headquarters.
The Dobsons are team players, and Alistair is proud of generations of involvement with Shepparton United. He said clubs provide a place to belong, something to feel attached to.
COVID-19 provided the ultimate test of the fan-club connection in 2020 when AFL continued to play, but with empty stadiums. Members who had paid up front for games they couldn’t attend didn’t demand refunds, understanding the impact that would have on their team.
“I think it says a lot about the fact memberships are not just transactions to get tickets. It is a culture of being a member and supporting your club,” Dobson said.
The membership culture in Melbourne extends to Big Bash, where the Renegades and Stars have the largest memberships in the competition.
Membership remains a growth area for the short format of the game.
“Still at the core of the BBL is that event experience where families come along two or three times during the holidays to enjoy the fun,” Dobson said.
“The BBL is only 10 years old and to develop those generational supporters where your parents and grandparents supported the same team, that is something that takes time.”
It has been a difficult 12 months for sport.
The Tokyo Olympic Games is still to be staged, and in Australia domestic codes struggled through a long winter where the coronavirus dictated the rules of play.
The experience of AFL in particular, provided a snapshot of the problems summer sports might expect to encounter. It also provided a framework for bubbles, travel, and crowds and the knowledge that there is no certainty when it comes to the virus.
“I went to Tassie for the first hub and to Queensland, but have been pretty much at home in Melbourne since January,” Dobson said.
“It has been the defining thing of our season to keep on top of borders and regulations, it was a little volatile mid-season with moving games from Sydney, but we have been pretty lucky.”
Now, on the verge of finals, Big Bash 10 has delivered on its promise of exciting, entertaining and family friendly cricket.
“We hope it has played a really important role this year in providing that soundtrack to summer, a bit of normalcy,” Dobson said.
As BBL continues to evolve, one of its biggest challenges is that what was once freakish is now considered normal. Players routinely juggle catches on both sides of the rope, ramp shots over the keeper's head are just another stroke and hitting it out of the ground is no longer a feat confined to a select few.
Dobson said tweaks in the rules and a possible draft for international players are a small part of driving the game forward.
“It is a really fun competition to work with, the opportunity to try things and be innovative is really exciting,” he said.
One thing that does work is the insight fans get into the players. Social media lit up this season when Usman Khawaja, who was miked up for the game, spent a long rain delay talking about his career, his challenges, his mindset and offering advice to young cricketers.
While the game is known for its bold, loud, and colourful style, it was a quiet moment of reflection that stole the show.
“With so many entertainment options now, every sport has to continue to innovate and evolve to provide that entertainment value. What our fans are looking for over the next 10 years is different to what they wanted 10 years ago.”
For that, Alistair Dobson has some insight, another generation of Dobson kids who are passionate about sport.
