Champions Trophy showcases Birmingham to global audience says Edgbaston chief

BIRMINGHAM and Edgbaston Stadium have been given a global platform on which to highlight how the city can cater for major sporting events, the chief executive of Warwickshire County Cricket Club has said.

Edgbaston has been selected as one of three host venues for this year’s International Cricket Council Champions Trophy event, which gets under way today. The event could be worth tens of millions of pounds to the city’s visitor economy.

While Cardiff and the Kia Oval in London are also hosts one-day games between the world’s top cricketing nations, Edgbaston has been given the prime matches – including the event’s final.

One of the tournament’s most eagerly-awaited games takes place at Edgbaston tomorrow and the clash between old rivals England and Australia promises to whet the appetite nicely ahead of this summer’s Ashes series.

Edgbaston will not be hosting an Ashes test match this summer so tomorrow’s game – which is already a sell-out – is one of the most important in the Warwickshire club’s sporting calendar.

The ground will also be hosting the much-anticipated clash between India and Pakistan – again a sell-out – while a game between South Africa and Pakistan is also expected to be popular.

Warwickshire chief executive Colin Povey said the games had the potential to attract massive TV audiences, especially in the sub-continent where the game is so popular.

While ICC rules do not allow the grounds to have local sponsors or advertising – only official tournament sponsors can have their branding on display – the name of the city will be emblazoned on the outfield during play.

“We have a world-class facility here now whereas five or six years ago we were in danger of not having any facility here at all. The Champions Trophy window is therefore a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate the worth of the venue and the Birmingham/Edgbaston brand,” he said.

“While we didn’t get an Ashes test this year We have solved part of the problem by getting the ICC Champions Trophy and this is the first time it has been in England and they have not had a major final at Lords so it’s a massive coup for us and the city and could attract a global audience. So Birmingham and Edgbaston are going to be right in the spotlight.”

Unlike the English international set-up, where the test match-status grounds have to bid to the England and Wales Cricket Board for the right to stage five-day games, the Champions Trophy is different.

“The model for the Champions Trophy is different in that someone is paying us upfront for staging the event and we get a bonus if we attract good crowds as opposed to us paying to stage the game and then generating receipts from tickets and hospitality,” added Mr Povey.

“No one is pretending it’s going to be an easy job from here on in but I’m absolutely certain that the strategy we have for Edgbaston was right and is right.”

The club will be hoping that the weather stays fine for the tournament. Last year’s wretched summer weather-wise saw three of the five days of the West Indian test match washed out, while a one day game between England and Australia was abandoned without a ball bowled.

The summer saw Warwickshire regain the domestic County Championship title but on-the-field success could still not prevent the club from making a near £670,000 loss.
 
A special video to accompany the event has been commissioned by the city’s tourism agency, Visit Birmingham. It will be broadcast during games to showcase some of what the city has to offer.

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