(3 June 2009 4:45 pm)

MUMBAI: ESPN owned cricket site Cricinfo will re-launch and re-brand to ESPNcricinfo.com, integrating the site further into the ESPN digital suite of websites.

The site will feature a new look starting today, ahead of the ICC World Twenty20 competition and 2009 Ashes series.

The new-look site aims to significantly improve the user experience and enhance advertising opportunities. The ESPNcricinfo team has made changes based on the behaviour of fans on the site, as well as specific research and user feedback.

The redesign also enhances the site’s infrastructure to enable ESPNCricinfo to update content faster, so that fans get the best cricket content, in the best form, faster. The changes include:

- Improved universal navigation – get anywhere from anywhere and navigation to coverage of other sports on ESPN’s sites
- match coverage with links to bulletins and photos alongside the scorecard
- video player on homepage – providing a permanent home for ESPNcricinfo SportsCenter
enhanced “Highlights” module showcasing the best of ESPNcricinfo
- more related links and modules
- navigation by news topic in the new In Focus section
- new player and ground pages

ESPN Digital Media VP Tom Gleeson says, “The redesign places ESPNcricinfo.com at the heart of ESPN Digital strategy. With this re-launch we wanted to leverage both the ESPN and Cricinfo brands to expand awareness of them both – taking advantage of their individual strengths in particular markets to help expand the awareness of the other as a brand that stands for the world’s best sports coverage.”

The new design also aims to balance advertisement and content, while providing new opportunities for marketers. The new-look site builds a robust sponsorship element in the various offerings in the website which benefits the advertisers without detracting from the fan experience.

Gleeson added, “One core of aspect of the redesign has been to ensure that associated sponsors are able to build a strong bond with our users by aligning with various product offerings in the site and still keep the cricket fan’s experience high.”

ESPNcricinfo adds that it has a heritage of utilising the latest technology, content and product offerings to bring cricket fans around the world the best possible coverage. The site claims to have 13.7 million users globally. ESPNcricinfo averaged 672 million user minutes in April and March 2009 and averaged 50 minutes spent per user per month.