Cricinfo becomes ESPN Cricinfo

Cricket portal Cricinfo.com has gone in for a design makeover. The redesigned site, which went live yesterday, also rebrands Cricinfo as ESPN Cricinfo. (ESPN acquired Cricinfo in 2007). The revamped site puts together all of Cricinfo’s exhaustive content (news, scores, audio, blogs, features and so on) in a cohesive manner, said Sambit Bal, Editor, Cricinfo. While the previous format was simpler and outdated, it offers users an enhanced experience by making navigation and access of content easier, he added. Cricinfo now has a stronger visual appeal with bigger pictures, and is primarily meant for larger desktops (the earlier version was for narrow monitors). The redesign has been long overdue, ever since the Wisden and Cricinfo Web sites were merged into one in 2003, said Bal. Cricinfo has been adding new features and elements such as blogs and microsites, keeping pace with the changing rules in the online world. During IPL-2, Cricinfo launched a microsite ‘Page 2’ targeted at a younger audience, including women. But Bal said the redesign is not a conscious effort to attract women or the youth. “Our primary consideration and objective is to cater to our existing users,” he emphasised.