Bumper extension deal at Lancashire
LANCASHIRE’S home will continue to be named Emirates Old Trafford after the club signed a bumper sponsorship extension with the airline.
The club agreed a 10-year deal with the firm in 2013 worth around £10m, and now the partnership will run for another seven years, with the figure understood to again be around £1m a year.
It is a major coup for the club, whose home is not just now a worldfamous international cricket ground but also a major concert venue attracting some of the biggest names in music.
The deal will be the longest and biggest sponsorship in English domestic cricket and will also see the Emirates brand on Lancashire Lightning’s Vitality Blast shirts.
A new lounge – named the Emirates Business Class Lounge, a dedicated hospitality and conference and events space – will be branded up in the historic pavilion at Emirates Old Trafford.
The club continue to redevelop the ground, with the Red Rose suite having been demolished to make way for an extension to the Hilton Garden Inn.
“This is a historic day for the club,” said Lancashire chief executive Daniel Gidney.
“The Emirates partnership renewal positions the sponsorship at Lancashire Cricket as one of the biggest and most recognisable in the game.
“We are hugely proud of our relationship with Emirates, a world-class brand with a truly global reach, and this is another very positive step as part of the club’s continued commercial growth and development.
“Emirates are once again demonstrating their great belief in Lancashire Cricket’s aims and ambitions for the future, continued development at Emirates Old Trafford and their investment over the next seven years will only help us continue our journey.”
Boutros Boutros from Emirates added: “Lancashire is a legendary name in English cricket, and as the world’s largest international airline we are proud to be playing such a big role in the club’s growth and success.”