Westerns franchise announce US$50,000 sponsorship
Posted by brmtaylor.com admin on July 23, 2009The sponsor name has yet to be announced, but Westerns franchise CEO Stanley Staddon announced to the Bulawayo Chronicle that the unknown company has signed on for an incredible US$50,000/year sponsorship.
It will be a kit sponsorship, with the name of the sponsor inscribed on it. More details about the sponsorship are expected to be released at ZC's award ceremony set for August 5 at the Bulawayo Theatre.
Staddon hinted that mining companies would be sponsoring the Centrals franchise.
The $50,000 sponsorship is a huge coup for Westerns (to be called Matabeleland Tuskers) who are riding on a wave of success after winning the domestic Twenty20 championship. Domestic cricket has always been plagued by low crowd attendances and is not broadcast on national television or radio. It is therefore hard to see the return-on-investment companies will receive for sponsoring a kit. It is however a show of faith, by whichever company it is, in the new franchise system and if the trend continues in other provinces then domestic cricket could see unprecedented success in Zimbabwe.
If this sponsorship deal is a sign of things to come, it shows business has got behind the concept. All that is required now is for the cricket fans in Zimbabwe to support their local franchises by getting to their local matches in high numbers.