Birmingham set to bowl over cricket lovers with ICC Champions Trophy fan zone
Cricket fans in Birmingham unable to get to the ICC Champions Trophy games being staged at Edgbaston will still be able to keep in touch with the tournament after plans were revealed for a new fan zone.
The International Cricket Council (ICC), which stages the tournament, is using Victoria Square as the base for its Official Fan Park during the opening weekend of the tournament.
The move comes as Visit Birmingham and Birmingham City Council are revealed as the latest in a number of high-profile partners for the tournament in their capacity as Tourism Partner.
The new partnership replicates the successful relationship between the three parties when the city last hosted the tournament in 2013.
Collaboration of this kind is an important test of the city’s ability to stage major sporting events and its experience could form a crucial part in any decision to award it the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
The fan park will have an 8,000 capacity and will be free to enter from 10am until 30 minutes after the scheduled end of play on June 2, 3 and 4. Fans will be able to watch games live on two giant screens and enjoy other activities on offer, both within Victoria Square and the surrounding area.
The weekend takes in the games featuring close rivals New Zealand v Australia and India v Pakistan, while the fixture on June 3 sees Sri Lanka take on South Africa at The Oval.
To accommodate an expected increase in numbers for the screening of India v Pakistan on June 4, a second site will open in Edgbaston Street.
Dave Richardson, chief executive of the ICC, said: “The ICC are delighted to be partnering again with Visit Birmingham and Birmingham City Council for the ICC Champions Trophy, after the great success of 2013.
“Birmingham is an exciting city and fantastic hub for cricket and in addition its diversity means every team and every supporter is guaranteed a warm welcome. It is very pleasing we can work in partnership together to improve fans’ experience of the tournament.”
He said the fan park could pave the way for similar initiatives when the ICC returns to England and Wales in 2019 for its flagship competition – the ICC Cricket World Cup.
Paul, Smith, Head of City Partnerships, said: “We are excited to break new ground by opening the first ICC Champions Trophy Official Fan Park on June 2. We have worked closely with Birmingham City Council, Visit Birmingham and West Midlands Police to bring a celebration of cricket to the city and involve more fans than ever before.”
Steve Hollingworth, service director for sport, events, open space and wellbeing at Birmingham City Council, said: “As a cricket-loving city with a proud tradition of staging major sporting events, we are delighted to be one of the host cities for the ICC Champions Trophy. There will be lots of ways for people to get involved with all of the action and I am sure the city will yet again show its enthusiasm for the top talents of world cricket. The fact we are home to so many people with links to the competing nations means we really will be at the centre of the action.”
The 18-day tournament could help generate around £25m for the region’s economy.
