BBL’s Sydney Thunder Sign University of Canberra Sponsorship

The University of Canberra have announced they will sponsor the Big Bash League’s Sydney Thunder over the summer.

The University’s name and logo will appear on the team outfits and on pitchside advertising throughout the Big Bash season.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Stephen Parker said: “The University is offering degree programs in Sydney from next year at the North Sydney Institute and South Western Sydney Institute. This is a great way of making our name known to a wider audience in Sydney. And because the games are televised we will also reach audiences in regional NSW and overseas which is a cost effective way of promoting ourselves to prospective students who might wish to study with us in Sydney, Canberra or online.

“The University has a longstanding commitment to sports scholarship and research and we aspire to be one of Australia’s leading universities in the academic aspects of sport. Working with community and elite teams is an essential ingredient and we are pleased to have Sydney Thunder as a partner.

“This sponsorship is coming about through an agreement with Cricket NSW which is working in partnership with Cricket ACT to promote the sport in our region. We look forward to helping them in that initiative. Our sponsorship with Sydney Thunder relating to a very exciting form of the game demonstrates our commitment.”

In addition to exposure through the Big Bash League, the deal also includes the ‘University of Canberra Thunder Nation Cup’, a community competition involving players from eight different cultural backgrounds. The final will be played at ANZ Stadium as a curtain raiser for the Thunder v Brisbane Heat game on 8 January.

Sydney Thunder general manager Nick Cummins commented on the deal: “We are delighted to partner with the University of Canberra for the 2013/14 BBL season. Sydney Thunder prides itself on its connection to the community of western Sydney, and more broadly, country New South Wales and the ACT. We are pleased that the University of Canberra, which has an excellent reputation in the industry for its teaching and research in sport, has identified the Sydney Thunder as a vehicle to raise the profile of their institution amongst this community.”