The Drum Awards for Marketing - Extended Deadline

-d -h -min -sec

ECB New Balance Cricket

New Balance becomes England cricket kit supplier and vows to bring back traditional cream cable knit sweaters

Author

By Tony Connelly, Sports Marketing Reporter

April 5, 2017 | 3 min read

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has today (5 April) confirmed that New Balance will be its new kit sponsor, replacing Adidas which has scaled back its interest in the sport.

ECB

New Balance will replace Adidas as the kit supplier for the ECB

The five-year deal will see the US brand provide match and training wear to all England teams including the men’s and women's Test, one-day and T20 sides as well as the Lions and all four England disability teams.

The New Balance kits will be worn for the first time at the men’s one-day international series against Ireland on 5 May.

Under the terms of the agreement England will revert to their traditional cream Test-match kit with the three lions restored to the centre of an old-fashioned cable knit sweater.

The return of the traditional cream coloured cable knit sweater is likely to please cricket purists who were critical of Adidas’ decision to adapt an all-white strip when the German brand became kit suppliers in 2008.

Fran Allen, New Balance’s vice-president for the EMEA region, said: “The new relationship signals our strong commitment to the sport, in all formats, and at a formative moment as the game looks forward to enhancing its popularity and appeal across an even broader audience. At the same time, this arrangement stands to underpin New Balance’s position as a leading global sporting brand.”

ECB commercial director, Sanjay Patel, added: “This relationship will form part of our broader strategy to grow the game at every level. It’s a great opportunity for us to work closely with a leading global brand, delivering promotional campaigns which will help cricket reach out to new audiences and achieve even greater exposure as a sport, while connecting with fans across the country.”

Adidas has been the ECB’s kit supplier since 2008, however a shift in the brand’s sports sponsorships strategy has saw it invest more in football, including a £750m shirt deal with Manchester United.

ECB New Balance Cricket

More from ECB

View all

Trending

Industry insights

View all
Add your own content +