Sponsors Digicel vow to make WI cricket ‘better’

BRIDGETOWN: Digicel, the new Title Sponsor of West Indies cricket, has promised to help make West Indies cricket “bigger and better” in the future. The West Indies Cricket Board and Digicel have committed to the largest investment the regional game has ever seen a number and have unveiled a number of groundbreaking initiatives to enhance the strength and development of the cricket in the region. The multi-million US dollar deal between the WICB and Digicel is for five years with an option to renew and officially came into operation from October 1. “Digicel is now associated with the most exciting, yet unpredictable brand in world cricket and West Indies cricket is benefiting from its largest and deepest sponsorship to date,” remarked Roger Brathwaite, chief executive of the WICB, at a news conference on Saturday. “One of the main focal points of this sponsorship is the development of West Indies cricket from the ground up. This arrangement is intended to sustain and promote the health of the game in the region.

“Indeed, one heartening aspect is the encouragement to the youth that includes sponsorships for junior West Indies teams and goes beyond this to cricket internships for young players.” Brathwaite noted that Digicel’s investment was the type that the WICB had long sought and needed if it was to build on the success of the West Indies team at this year’s ICC Champions Trophy in England. “No one denies that there is a rich vein to be tapped throughout the region, particularly when it is recognised that West Indies won the last Under-15 World Cup and were runners-up earlier this year at the Under-19 World Cup,” he said. “It is against this background of success for our youth cricket that support for its continued development, as contained in this arrangement, is welcomed.

“The WICB takes very seriously its responsibility to develop the game in the region and the high cost of investing in tournaments and programmes that do not lend themselves to financial profits must be weighed against the pride and joy the beneficiaries bring to the region.” In addition to offering the first home-and-away sponsorship to the West Indies team, Digicel has placed major innovative programmes to include youth development, broadcast of the game, and fan innovations. Digicel will pump more than US $1 million to sponsor select junior teams, develop elite cricket academies across the region with the WICB, and offer vital overseas scholarships for fast developing players. “‘Bigger, Better Cricket’ is the theme of our new Digicel and WICB partnership that mirrors our network throughout the Caribbean,” said Raoul Fernandez, chief executive of Digicel. “This sponsorship, similar to our commitment to customers, is set to transform West Indies cricket as we know it. The new programmes bear significance for not only the team, but also fans, media and, most importantly, aspiring young West Indies players.

“We take enormous pride in being the Title Sponsor of West Indies cricket, enabling a number of first time incentives for the team and making the game more accessible across the region. “Our shared vision with the WICB, the team and the fans is to get West Indies cricket back to the top of world cricket.” Digicel has created an innovative television arrangement that means apart from all the home and away West Indies matches, cricket fans will able to watch all major international matches, and they will also develop a series of made-for-TV programmes that will give fans a greater insight into the game. Digicel is the Title Sponsor of the West Indies Test and limited-overs teams, Event Sponsors for the home Test and limited-overs series, and the official mobile and communications provider of the WICB.