Professional T20 was built to fill empty seats: 2003 county cricket, Lord's 2004, and the first men's T20I in 2005.
English county crowds had fallen by 17%; research said cricket was too long.
13 June 2003, Hampshire v Sussex at the Rose Bowl; 2004, Middlesex v Surrey at Lord's drew 27,000+; February 2005, the first men's T20 international at Eden Park.
TWENTY, Chapter 1 of 6. The full film is on our YouTube.