Lancs cricket strikes naming deal with Emirates
LANCASHIRE County Cricket Club has sold the naming rights to its ground to the Dubai-based airline Emirates in a 10-year deal.
It means two of Manchester’s three most iconic sporting arenas are named after Middle Eastern airlines, with Manchester City’s ground sponsored by Abu Dhabi’s Etihad.
The latest deal will see the ground renamed the Emirates Old Trafford and the Emirates brand will also appear on the front of the team’s Twenty20 playing shirts.
The airline already has the naming rights for Durham’s ground in Chester-le-Street and it is the official worldwide partner to the International Cricket Council (ICC), which includes the Cricket World Cup.
Lancashire’s chairman Michael Cairns said: “This announcement represents another major step in the redevelopment of Old Trafford. The intention to secure a naming rights partner was always on our list of objectives; however, it remained paramount that we secure a partner who was actively committed to cricket and its future while at the same time had significant interests in Manchester and the North West.
“We could not have found a better and more suitable partner than Emirates. We are extremely proud to be associated with them and look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship. The financial benefits of this deal are a core component of our long-term strategy for commercial sustainability. The partnership will support our intention to be regarded as one of the top county cricket clubs in the country and undisputed as a category A test match venue. We remain committed to providing the very best facilities for our members, players and spectators.”
Sir Maurice Flanagan, vice chairman of Emirates Group, said: “This is an excellent opportunity to build upon Emirates’ commitment to cricket, a sport we have been associated with in the UK since 2002.
“This association also highlights our continued investment in Manchester and the surrounding region, a hub which we see as vital to our operations in the UK and from which we operate three daily flights, including one of our flagship A380s.
“We’re hugely looking forward to supporting Lancashire cricket and its fans both here and abroad, in what is a further significant investment by Emirates to the region. Cricket at Lancashire County Cricket Club is of the highest quality, it has a global reach and has produced legends in the sport and we are proud to be lending our name to such incredible success.”
