ECB team up with Kingfisher Beer on National Club Championship

cough helvetica,sans-serif;”>The England and Wales Cricket Board have appointed Kingfisher Beer the headline sponsor for the National Club Championship for the next three years.

In recognition of the deal, the tournament will be renamed the Kingfisher Beer Cup.

The Kingfisher Beer Cup will continue to be open to both ECB Premier League clubs and lower league sides and offers a prize of £5,000 ($7,760) for its winners, the “Kingfisher Beer Cup national club champions”.

256 teams will compete in the knock out competition which was won by Shrewsbury Cricket Club last year. The first round will commence on April 29th with the cup running through until September. The final is scheduled for September 16th at a TBC First Class County ground.

Kingfisher has a longstanding association with international cricket and sponsored India’s tour of England earlier this year. This opportunity will see the beer brand broaden their links in the sport through a presence in the recreational form of the game.

Marketing Manager for Kingfisher Beer Europe, Laura Mitchell has explained Kingfisher’s involvement in the project.

“As India’s No. 1 beer, cricket has long been a core passion for Kingfisher in its home market. We are therefore excited to build the brand’s association with ECB recreational cricket and plan to drive investment into the sport through a number of fundraising initiatives for clubs through the Kingfisher Beer Cup. In addition to this, we are delighted to be able to offer the 2012 winning team £5,000 ($7,760) to invest in their club as they see fit. Good luck to all participating clubs”.

ECB Commercial Director, John Perera, offered the governing body’s take on the partnership.

“We are delighted to welcome Kingfisher Beer as sponsor of the National Club Championship which will now be known as the Kingfisher Beer Cup. It will be an excellent boost for the competition to have a sponsor that is committed to supporting cricket clubs at a recreational level and the valuable pairing of Kingfisher Beer and club cricket will benefit both sponsor and clubs across England and Wales”.