CA’s brewery deal dries up after 20 years
Carlton and United Breweries has ended its 20-year sponsorship deal with Cricket Australia, a move welcomed by groups opposed to alcohol advertising in sport.
The company has confirmed reports that its sponsorship arrangement with Cricket Australia is over, ending a close relationship between its Victoria Bitter brand and the one-day and Test teams.
The Royal Australasian College of Physicians is now calling for Cricket Australia to rule out striking another sponsorship deal with a liquor company.
The college president, Catherine Yelland, said the harmful effects of alcohol advertising in sport were well known, and the onus was now on Cricket Australia to protect young fans.
“We hope (the decision) is related to an understanding that alcohol advertising and sport are not a good combination,” Yelland told Guardian Australia
A spokesman for CUB said the decision was “purely commercial”, and that its sports advertising in AFL and other football codes would continue.
CUB will maintain its strong and long-term sponsorship arrangements with Australian sport, including the AFL and NRL.”
The sponsorship arrangement with Cricket Australia has existed for two decades, and the VB logo has been emblazoned on shirts, across grounds, television advertising, and during live coverage.
Fairfax reported that the CUB cricket deal was worth an estimated $65m in the past five years. It’s understood the deal ended without any animosity.