Today, Lancashire have announced a new ten-year-deal with Emirates Airlines, making them the second English county to be
linked with one of the world's fastest growing airlines. The red rose county
will now play their home games at the ‘Emirates Old Trafford’, ensuring that
the heart of the ground, the name, will stay intact despite many of the changes taking place at the club.The deal will also entail a range of
commercial opportunities for both stakeholders and most significantly, the ‘Fly
Emirates’ sponsor will appear on the Lightning’s Twenty20 kit.
Maurice Flanagan, Executive Vice Chairman of Emirates Airlines,
said “This is an excellent opportunity to build upon Emirates’ commitment to
cricket, a sport we have been associated with in the UK since 2002. We’re
hugely looking forward to supporting Lancashire cricket and its fans both here
and abroad, in what is a further significant investment by Emirates to the
region. Cricket at Lancashire County Cricket Club is of the highest quality, it
has a global reach and has produced legends in the sport and we are proud to be
lending our name to such incredible success.”
Michael Cairns OBE, Chairman of Lancashire County Cricket Club,
said, “This announcement represents another major step in the redevelopment of
Old Trafford. We could not have found a better and more suitable partner than
Emirates. We are extremely proud to be associated with them and look forward to
a long and mutually beneficial relationship.”
For many Lancashire fans, this announcement will cause some
discomfort, given the many changes that have already taken place at the club
over the last decade. To lose a part of the grounds name will be something that
takes time to become accustomed with, but this deal also brings a great deal of
positivity. It will help to pay for the development, currently taking place in
Manchester, but also provide the opportunity for future signings with more
disposable income available.
No comments:
Post a Comment