National Technology Levy

What is the Community Cricket app?
The new Community Cricket app “Cricket Central” is a digital platform being launched by New Zealand Cricket to enhance the experience for community players, clubs, supporters, and families. It will provide live scores, results, player stats (including historical data from CricHQ), and direct communications from clubs and associations.

When will the app be available?
The app will be available before the start of the 2025–26 season. We'll share more information, including how to download and use the app, closer to launch.

Who is the app for?
The app is designed for everyone involved in community cricket — players, parents, supporters, coaches, and club volunteers.

What is the National Technology Levy?
The National Technology Levy is a $7.50 fee that will be applied to all player registrations for the 2025–26 season and beyond. This fee supports the ongoing development and delivery of the digital platforms that power community cricket.

Is this a one-time fee or ongoing?
The fee is charged once per player, per season. It is not charged per team or per competition.

Where does the money go?
Every dollar collected through the levy goes directly towards:

• The development and support of the new Community Cricket app

• PlayHQ platform improvements and services

• New communication tools (e.g., email and push notifications)

• Ongoing maintenance, development and user support

Will this fee increase in future seasons?
No. NZC is committing to holding the fee at $7.50 per player for at least five seasons — through to and including the 2029–30 season.

Has NZC ever charged a fee like this before?
No — this is the first time NZC has introduced a national participant fee for community cricket. This contribution helps future-proof the systems that make cricket delivery easier for everyone involved.

Who pays this levy?
The fee is charged once per player, per season. The Levy is charged upon the first registration for the season and covers competitions completed within 12 months.

More detail:

• Does a parent with three kids have to pay for each child? Yes, once for each player.

• Does a scorer using the app, who doesn’t play cricket, need to register/pay the levy? No, only participants have to pay once per season.

• Does a player playing across multiple competitions (e.g., club, school, tournaments) pay the levy multiple times? No, they don’t. They levy is only charged once per player, per season.

• Does this levy apply to coaches, managers and club administrators? No charge for coaches of volunteers, just players.

• Does a fill-in player have to pay this levy if only helping out occasionally? No, the levy is only charge to participants that register. A player that fills in once and is added as a “Fill-In” is not charged.

Do clubs or associations need to collect this fee manually?
No. The $7.50 levy is automatically applied within the PlayHQ registration system. Clubs and associations do not need to manage or transfer the fee themselves.

Will clubs still receive their usual registration fees?
Yes. The technology levy is added on top of club and association fees, so your local fee structures remain unaffected.

What if a player is registering late or only playing a few games?
The fee is applied consistently across all registrations, regardless of playing duration. It is a flat, once-per-season contribution that helps make the same technology available to all players and supporters.

Will clubs or associations be able to bulk pay the levy on behalf of their members, and if so, what is the process?
There is no functionality for clubs or associations to pay on behalf of their players.

Is there a refund process in place if a player registers but then withdraws before the season starts?
Ahead of the season starting, NZC will release a refund policy that will outline how this process is to be managed.

How do you pay for this levy?
Your levy is included in your checkout cart when completing your PlayHQ registration. Whatever means of payment is selected will incorporate the levy.

Do free, entry-level programs like Smash PLAY and Girls Smash still require payment of the levy?
There is no Technology Levy for programme registrations.

Do short-format or social programs funded under NZC’s Women & Girls investment agreements require participants to pay the levy?
There is no Technology Levy for programme registrations.

If people do not register to avoid the levy, will this affect funding tied to participation numbers?
No. Funding of community cricket in New Zealand isn’t tied to membership numbers. The primary value of membership registration is a true understanding of trends and changes within cricket in New Zealand that allows the leaders of the game to make decisions and implement changes that will have positive outcomes for cricket.

How can we mitigate the risk of decreased registrations due to the levy - and what are the implications for funding?
The application and other features being released will be of significant value to participants and supporters of cricket. Whilst these advancements have been called for from across the cricket network they come at a cost. NZC believes the levy has been positioned at an affordable level and that the benefit gained will represent good value. Note that not all current players are registered on PlayHQ and we expect that this will always be the case. There is no impact to funding due to any changes as a result of this levy being introduced.

Will NZC provide any tools or incentives to support clubs and associations in encouraging compliance with registration and levy requirements?
Along with PlayHQ, NZC will continue to support the use and adoption of the PlayHQ platform and the new app through training, support and promotion. NZC already invest heavily into community cricket across New Zealand and that level of investment is unlikely to change in the short term.

Is there a plan to promote the benefits of the app and highlight key features?
There will be a marketing campaign closer to the release of the app outlining key features and how these will be of benefit to the cricket network. This will come as direct communications to associations and clubs and also via community social channels.

Would NZC consider a web-based landing page for FAQs and ongoing updates?
This FAQ document is available on the NZC website, and any valuable questions that come through will be added and updated within this document.