England Secures Partner Ahead Of Ashes

Ahead of Tuesday’s victory in the first match of the Women’s Ashes, the England women’s cricket team announced a new sponsorship deal with Danish electronics company, Bang & Olufsen.

The agreement with Bang & Olufsen is only the second women’s-only sponsorship deal signed by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), following last year’s agreement with Kia.

As part of the deal, the brand supplied its H6 headphones to all 22 members of the England squad ahead of their first one-day international against Australia in Taunton.

Natalie Sciver’s quick-fire 66 helped England to a four-wicket win in the first game of the seven-match Women’s Ashes, as England chased down 239.

While financial terms and the duration of the deal have not been released, Bang & Olufsen will have a range of sponsorship and marketing rights relating to the team.

The past 18 months has seen the international set-up of the women’s game professionalised, with a new Twenty20 competition – the Women’s Cricket Super League – also announced for next summer.

Clare Connor, the director of England women’s cricket at the ECB, said: “A year on from securing our first standalone commercial deal for England women’s cricket with Kia, we are thrilled to announce this partnership with Bang & Olufsen.

“For such a large brand to partner with England women’s cricket is testament to the hard-work, success and ever-growing commercial appeal of the team.  We hope that this will be the start of a long and successful partnership.”

England’s wicketkeeper batsman Sarah Taylor added: “It’s brilliant that such a premium and established brand is interested in the England women’s cricket team.  I absolutely love my music and will always listen to my latest playlist on the way to games and in the dressing room before going out to bat and field – it really relaxes me and makes sure that I am in the playing zone. This new deal with Bang & Olufsen is therefore brilliant as it combines two things that I love – cricket and music.”

This year’s Women’s Ashes Series comprises seven matches played over three formats. Three one-day internationals will be played this week, before a Test and three Twenty20 matches next month.