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Southern Premier Cricket League announce lucrative sponsorship deal
Mike Vimpany - 13 March 2001
Cricket at 'grass roots' level is set to be a major beneficiary of a lucrative three-part sponsorship deal with Southern Electric, announced today by the Southern Premier League.
Southern Electric are to sponsor Premier League cricket for a minimum of the next three years in a deal worth close to £40,000.
From the start of the new season in early May, the competition will be known as the Southern Electric Premier League.
The sponsorship is to be boosted by two of Southern Electric's subsidiary companies, who will be actively involved in this summer's cricket programme. Southern Electric Contracting (SEC) are to back the league's midweek knockout competition, with the Hampshire Under-15 Youth Trophy being supported by Southern Electric Gas.
Southern Electric's Marketing Manager Alan Oxley commented : "We're delighted to be sponsors of the Premier League to help them take cricket forward for all age groups over the next few years."
Although it has yet to make any firm announcement, the Premier League is expected to plough a significant part of the sponsorship money into cricket development.
"Being an ECB accredited league, we have a tremendous responsibility to raise standards at 'grass roots' level, particularly areas such as youth development and ground improvements," stressed Premier League chairman Alan Bundy.
"In recent seasons, the standard of Premier League grounds and facilities has risen dramatically, but as a recreational organisation we can only do our bit to improve English cricket with financial support.
"England's success against the West Indies last summer, and this winter in Pakistan and Sri Lanka shows cricket is on the 'up' in this country.
"So our link with Southern Electric could not have come at a more timely moment," he added.
The injection of capital from Southern Electric's sponsorship will help clubs to develop their grounds, facilities and youth set ups, through the league's Development Fund.
The Fund is there to assist al Premier clubs and without a sponsor, funds would soon disappear," the chairman added.
"Providing artificial net areas for players and youngsters to practice and improving overall playing facilities are paramount to our role as an ECB league," Bundy said.
Bundy believes the involvement of Southern Electric Gas in the Under-15 youth competition will also be of significant value.
"It is crucial youngsters have decent pitches to learn the game on and proper equipment to play with, otherwise they won't improve and will soon lose interest," he said.
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