Big Bash small fry for boss McConnie
SMASHING through Cricket Australia’s glass ceiling to take charge of the Big Bash isn’t such a menacing proposition when you’ve already created the biggest bash of all.
Kim McConnie spent three years tasked with the stunning pressure-cooker assignment of running America’s iconic Super Bowl half-time show, co-ordinating with the likes of Katy Perry and Lady Gaga for a global audience of 120 million people.
Rubbing shoulders with the biggest names and egos in US sport became a 10-year passion for McConnie as head of sports marketing for Super Bowl sponsors PepsiCo in New York City, but now the Brisbane native is back home and adamant she can deliver on her new mandate to take the BBL and WBBL to the next level.
She wants BBL on Christmas Day, smart jerseys where fans can download player content from Chris Lynn’s shirt such as latest highlights, stats and merchandise offers, plus mobile and multi-screen technologies that can take fans into augmented and virtual reality from their seats at the ground and their couches at home.
“The thing that really struck me straight away in the US was the depth of the fan engagement. Really the catalyst there is technology,” McConnie said.