Friends Life Sponsorship Of Domestic Twenty20 Cricket Draws To Close

Friends Life, the current title sponsor of domestic Twenty20 cricket (T20), will not be renewing its contract with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) beyond the 2013 season.

The decision follows a change in Friends Life’s corporate objectives. The company has been title sponsor of the Friends Life t20 competition for the past three years, and previously sponsored the Friends Provident Trophy 50 over competition for three years.  

ECB Commercial Director, John Perera said: “The ECB thanks Friends Life for its support of domestic cricket in recent years. The brand has benefited from significant exposure as the T20 format has continued to grow in popularity with cricket fans. Our search for a new sponsor will begin immediately and we anticipate significant interest from potential partners who wish to be associated with one of sport’s most exciting and dynamic properties.”

Corporate Affairs & Brand Director, Peter Foster added: “We have enjoyed a successful sponsorship of the domestic t20 competition and have been a partner of cricket for many years.  We are however conducting a review of our sponsorship programme with our agency Generate Sponsorship and this work has identified that the competition audience does not fit with our future customer strategy, although other formats of the game may still provide a  relevant association. We continue to enjoy a strong relationship with the ECB and wish them well in finding a new partner.”

Attendances of the Friends Life t20 competition have remained strong during its tenth season, including a 16,000 sell-out Finals Day last Saturday at the SWALEC Stadium in Cardiff, in which Hampshire Royals were crowned champions after beating Yorkshire Carnegie by ten runs. 

Sky Sports broadcast 25 live Friends Life t20 games during the 2012 season.