County to lose millions as sponsors cut ties

YORKSHIRE’S handling of the Azeem Rafiq case will cost the county millions in sponsorship revenue after a raft of commercial partners announced plans to terminate their relationship with the club. As reported by Sportsmail yesterday morning, naming rights partners at headingley emerald Publishing have confirmed plans to withdraw financial support for Yorkshire worth £2.4million, and the club’s 25-year association with Tetley’s brewery will come to an end, while smaller commercial deals with Yorkshire Tea and David Lloyd Leisure have also been terminated. The loss of the emerald funding — worth £400,000 annually to

Yorkshire for the next six years as a result of a naming rights deal signed in 2017 — will be a major blow to a club that has lost around £2m in the wake of the Covid pandemic, not least as they may struggle to secure a replacement after being accused of institutional racism in their treatment of Rafiq. emerald will continue to contribute towards the operational costs of running headingley and sponsor the Leeds Rhinos, who also use the stadium, but will not fund Yorkshire directly. ‘We have today taken the decision to remove our brand association with Yorkshire County Cricket Club and headingley Stadium,’ a statement said. ‘We do not tolerate any form of racism or discriminatory behaviour and the damaging effects this has. ‘We hope YCCC will listen and respond with serious action to eradicate racism from the club and uphold the values we all expect.’ Tetley’s decision to sever ties with the club is highly symbolic. The Leeds-based brewery have sponsored them for 25 years. ‘We have informed Yorkshire of our intention to not extend our official beer sponsorship with them beyond the end of the current contract,’ a spokesman said.