Barclays and Lord’s Cricket Ground strike principal partnership
Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has entered a multi-year partnership that designates Barclays as the principal partner of Lord’s Cricket Ground.
The new agreement includes naming rights to the venue’s media centre, and prominent brand visibility throughout the iconic ground, which is dubbed ‘the Home of Cricket’.
Barclays has also made one of the largest ever annual donations towards the MCC Foundation, which is intended to make cricket more accessible and inclusive for 10,000 young people by 2028.
Through this investment into MCC’s charity, the company will support the Foundation’s Hub Programme, a network of cricket hubs that provides free coaching and match play for state-educated children throughout the UK.
With Barclays’ new funding, the initiative will expand from 124 to 200 sites in 2026.
The bank will additionally support the Foundation’s Coaching Programmes, in order to help remove barriers for young people to access cricket, as well as providing opportunities for women and girls to gain coaching experience.
The deal sees the London-based bank add to its stable of UK sports partnerships that includes a reported £15m a year title sponsorship deal for the WSL, as well as its longstanding agreement with the Premier League, and recently signed pact with Wimbledon.
“Barclays and Lord’s, two great British institutions, will work together to build the next generation of budding cricketers,” said C.S Venkatakrishnan, Group Chief Executive of Barclays.
“We are eager to work with the MCC Foundation on their grassroots cricket programmes, strengthening communities by providing access and facilities for all players.”
Rob Lynch, Interim Chief Executive & Secretary of MCC, added, “This partnership marks an exciting new chapter for MCC, Lord’s and cricket as a whole.
“Barclays shares our passion for working for the good of the game and ensuring that as many young people throughout the UK can pick up a bat and ball and take part in our wonderful game.”
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