Natwest Takes Game-wide Twenty20 Sponsorship
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has confirmed that NatWest will become the title sponsor of Twenty20 cricket at all levels from next year, with the London-headquartered bank’s partnership set to cover international, county and recreational level cricket in the short-game format for the next four years.
The deal covers England’s eight international T20 fixtures against Sri Lanka (two matches – 2014 and 2016), India, New Zealand, Australia, Pakistan, West Indies and South Africa.
NatWest will also continue its support of the women’s game through its title sponsorship of England Women’s home international T20 fixtures.
The deal marks the first time the governing body has offered a single-format sponsorship of the game to one organisation.
NatWest will also become the title sponsor of the county T20 competition, which will play the majority of its games on Friday nights from 2014 as part of a major restructuring of the English domestic cricket calendar prompted by an extensive ECB fan survey.
The restructuring of the domestic calendar and the effect the format of the game has had on cricket were just two of the subjects discussed at the last Nolan Partners Sport Industry Breakfast Club with the ECB’s CEO David Collier and former England captain Mike Gatting.
Check out the highlights of the event here, and find out more information about the next event – featuring Liverpool FC managing director Ian Ayre and Minnesota Vikings owner and CEO, Mark Wilf – here.
Elsewhere, the bank will retain title sponsorship of the annual NatWest CricketForce weekend, which sees thousands of clubs hold volunteer events each April to raise investment for grounds and facilities, and the NatWest Outstanding Services to Cricket Awards.
NatWest will also become the lead sponsor of the ECB’s National Club T20 competition, which operates across 32 recreational leagues, as well as the title sponsor of the NatWest Women’s T20 competition and a range of junior competitions.
Collier said: ‘NatWest has been a wonderful and loyal supporter of cricket over the past three decades. They have been involved from the club game all the way up to England teams. ECB is delighted that this long-standing partnership will continue to flourish through NatWest’s support of the T20 format which, as we have witnessed this season, continues to attract a new and growing audience for cricket throughout England and Wales.’
Les Matheson, managing director of retail products and marketing at NatWest added: ‘With well over 30 years supporting English cricket, we are the longest-standing sponsor of cricket anywhere in the world and are delighted to be extending this involvement through the most exciting and engaging format of the game.’
‘The Twenty20 game, at all levels, gives us the opportunity to engage our branch network and reach out to our customers all over the country. This new deal will also give us the opportunity to continue rewarding our customers.’
NatWest has been involved in cricket sponsorship for 32 years, title sponsoring the domestic NatWest Trophy from 1981 to 2000, the NatWest One Day International (ODI) Series from 2000 to 2013 and the international NatWest T20 Series since 2006.
The ECB revealed earlier this year that it would now look to secure a sponsor for a similar top-down role in one-day cricket, with England’s domestic competition in the format set to adopt a new 50-over version currently used at international level.
