Tolkien Lecture: Cricket as Business, Culture and Entertainment

A man stands on a stage in front of a large screen displaying a bar chart about the global sports economy, while another man sits in an armchair to his right. An audience is seated in the foreground.
On Tuesday 28 April, the Ruddock Performing Arts Centre was the venue for the second Tolkien Lecture since the series resumed following its pause due to the pandemic. It was a pleasure to continue this much anticipated programme of talks, named in honour of one of the most distinguished alumni of King Edward's School, J. R. R. Tolkien.

We were honoured to welcome back KES Old Edwardian, Vikram Banerjee (OE 2002), who was joined by fellow KES Old Edwardian Ragi Singh (OE 1994) as guest speakers for the evening. Vikram opened the lecture with an engaging presentation exploring the evolution of cricket from its traditional roots to the evolution of The Hundred, offering insight into how the sport had adapted to changing audiences and the modern world. This then set the scene for conversation with Ragi, in which they both reflected on commercial strategy and the challenges and opportunities facing cricket today. The lecture concluded with a lively audience Q&A, where guests posed a range of questions, extending the discussion to topics such as the future of the game and fan engagement.  

Following the lecture, guests gathered for a reception, providing an opportunity for them to continue asking Vikram and Ragi questions and continue the evening’s stimulating discussions.  

The Tolkien Lecture remains a highlight of the calendar, bringing together members of the KES and KEHS community for an inspiring and intellectually enriching experience. We are already very much looking forward to the next lecture in the series, which will take place during the KES 475th anniversary year.  

Miss Brindley

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