ECB Banks Women’s Cricket Partnership
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Metro Bank have agreed a long-term partnership.
The new relationship will aim to ‘deliver transformational growth’ across cricket in England and Wales, with UK-based Metro Bank becoming the first ever champion partner of women’s and girls’ cricket, across all formats, from Test match to grassroots.
The deal also sees the creation of a Women’s and Girls’ Fund that will support grassroots cricket for women and girls.
The Fund will support programmes designed to make cricket more inclusive, bring more women and girls into the game and retain those who are already in it.
The deal will also see Metro Bank become the official England Women’s team partner and appear on the sleeves of the team’s playing kit, and includes title sponsorship of the Women’s Ashes Series. This will officially begin with this month’s Metro Bank Women’s Ashes series against Australia.
Danielle Lee, Director of Brand and Marketing at Metro Bank, said, “This is a real partnership with purpose built on Metro Bank’s commitments to local communities and diversity and inclusion. Sport acts as a catalyst, helping to increase confidence and social skills, and together with the ECB we will use the Fund to empower more women and girls to reach their full potential in cricket and beyond. We will do this by changing perceptions and providing women and girls with the means to overcome the obstacles to maximise their participation in this great sport. This partnership will help to deliver a lasting legacy for women’s and girls’ cricket.”
Clare Connor, Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of England Women and ECB, added, “Metro Bank share our passion, determination and energy to break down barriers and build on the huge progress we’ve made in women’s and girls’ cricket in recent years. We’re thrilled to welcome them on aboard as our first ever champion partner of women’s and girls’ cricket ahead of the highly anticipated Metro Bank Women’s Ashes Series, and are excited by the potential of what this partnership can achieve.
“Whilst we have seen a period of huge growth and increased profile across the women’s game, we know there is still much more to do to make our sport truly gender balanced. By working together with partners such as Metro Bank who share our ambition for the sport, I am confident we will make our sport more inclusive and inspire many more girls from all backgrounds to pick up a bat and ball.”
