Asda Renews Kwik Cricket Sponsorship With ECB

Supermarket chain Asda has renewed its deal with the ECB to continue as the
title sponsor of the grass-roots ‘Kwik Cricket’ programme until September 2009.

Asda, who initially became an official sponsor in March 2006, will work in
partnership with the ECB to develop and implement two major campaigns designed
to use Asda Kwik Cricket as a vehicle to educate children about the benefits of
healthy living and also raise the profile of the sport within communities.

A core element of these campaigns will involve the ECB, in conjunction with
the 18 first-class counties, and Asda establishing a series of recreational
junior cricket festivals across the country. This will also include new girls’
tournaments aimed at increasing levels of participation.

These festivals will be attended by high-profile professional cricketers who,
in addition to passing on coaching tips, will also talk to kids about the
benefits of healthy eating. 

Under the terms of the sponsorship renewal, Asda will receive a wide variety
of assets, including branding rights on all Asda Kwik Cricket sets distributed,
advertising rights and title sponsorship of the U11 national schools Asda Kwik
Cricket Competition.

Aimed at children between the ages of 7 and 11, Asda Kwik Cricket is
currently played in 8,000 primary schools and over 4,500 of the 6,000 ECB
affiliated clubs.

Last year, 130,000 children participated in Asda Kwik Cricket making it one
of the largest Primary School Programmes in the UK.