Liverpool Victoria sponsor Championship

14 September 2005

Liverpool Victoria Friendly Society and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have agreed a new sponsorship deal for Cricket’s County Championship from 2006-2009.

Worth £1.2 million to the ECB over the four years, the new deal will see the Liverpool Victoria brand taking over from its Frizzell affinity brand on perimeter boards and promotional material from 2006, and the competition will be entitled the Liverpool Victoria County Championship.

Liverpool Victoria is a leading financial services provider and the UK’s largest friendly society, with assets of around £7.4bn. The company has been sponsoring the County Championship for the last four years through its affinity brand Frizzell, which markets financial services to members of ‘affinity groups’ such as trade unions, the csma (Civil Service Motoring Association) and the Caravan Club.

Following four very successful years in raising awareness for Frizzell through the sponsorship, the company now wants its main public brand Liverpool Victoria to be able to benefit from the awareness-raising opportunities and media exposure that the sponsorship offers.

Ian Cordwell, Liverpool Victoria’s Group Marketing Director, said: “The sponsorship has been very successful for Frizzell and we now want to transfer the benefits of the media coverage and other exposure to our main public brand Liverpool Victoria, which is promoted to a wider audience.

“We believe there is a good match between cricket followers and our target audience, and the sponsorship will therefore allow us to reach a large percentage of our existing and potential customers.”

Securing the sponsorship of the County Championship, the oldest domestic cricket competition, until 2009 is a real boost for the future of the game according to the ECB’s Commercial Director John Perera.

He said: “We are delighted that Liverpool Victoria has decided to extend the sponsorship of the County Championship for another four years. This demonstrates the popularity and appeal of cricket to commercial partners at a very exciting time for the sport.”

The winner of the final County Championship to carry Frizzell’s name is still undecided, with Nottinghamshire leading the charge with two matches remaining – although Hampshire, Kent, Sussex and reigning champions Warwickshire all still have a chance of taking the title.

The 2005 final round matches begin on Wednesday September 21.