Clifford stresses benefits
JAMIE CLIFFORD insists the renaming of the St Lawrence Ground is not about making “a fast buck” and says it will give Kent a better chance of being competitive on the field. A seven-figure, 10-year agreement with brewers Shepherd Neame was unveiled on Tuesday, with the Canterbury ground renamed The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence, in addition to an extension of the firm’s t20 shirt sponsorship and alcohol supply contracts, which were up this year. Kent chief executive Mr Clifford revealed discussions about a deal for the naming rights had first been mooted 18 months ago. He said: “Ground naming rights are probably the one large commercial property remaining to us and it was important to find a way of unlocking the value within them but crucially we had to be working with the right partner. “It’s not a quick and dirty deal to get some cash in, it’s a meaningful partnership that has stood the test of time and will continue to do so. This is not a fast buck.” Mr Clifford stressed the investment would not immediately be mirrored on the field, explaining: “It’s not as straightforward as saying well we’ve done this deal so X, Y, Z happens on the field. “But everything we do is about longterm success and investment back into the cricket. It’s not as simple as £1 in means £1 invested but it means we stand a better chance of fielding a side that can be competitive.” Jonathan Neame, chief executive of Shepherd Neame, said: “Cricket and beer have always been synonymous, particularly Kent cricket and Shepherd Neame beer.”