Big sponsorship close

Press, 30 August 1984, Page 36

Big sponsorship close

Canterbury cricket is on the verge of receiving a big sponsorship. The chairman of the Canterbury Cricket Association, Alby Duckmanton, announced at its annual meeting last evening that a substantial sponsorship agreement was being finalised with Trusteebank Canterbury.

Mr Duckmanton said that the negotiations were at a stage where a contractual agreement would be signed within a matter of a week or so. He said that the bank was conscious of the needs of cricket and had expressed the desire to ensure that the effect of its sponsorship would reach all levels of the game. To this end, the sponsorship would encompass the Canta cricket coaching proposal. It is believed that the Canta proposal is a new coaching concept for Canterbury which will provide assistance at school level. Mr Duckmanton also an-

nounced that Chancery Finance had agreed to terminate its sponsorship in the interests of Canterbury cricket. Chancery Finance was Canterbury’s main sponsor last season and had a contract for another two years. But, in order to allow the proposed agreement to be implemented immediately, Chancery Finance had decided to withdraw. Cricket in the province is on the crest of a financial wave. The last line in the association’s published income and expenditure account for 1983-84 shows an excess of income over expenditure of $9988, but evidence of the association’s well-being is to be found elsewhere. A sum of $lO,OOO has been allotted to the provision of four permanent pitches at the Polo Grounds, a project towards which the New Zealand Cricket Foundation has contributed $20,000, half of it an interest-free loan.

The association’s coaching fund has been increased by $5OOO, and the actual excess of income over expenditure was about $25,000. The treasurer, David Gallop, said yesterday that some $6500 had been written off as depreciation, which meant that more than $30,000 was available as a base for cricket in the coming season.

The rosy picture these figures make must be encouraging for all the Canterbury administrators. The major items of income are varied. There was a grant of $15,000 from the New Zealand Cricket Council, and $13,000 from the sponsorship of Chancery Finance, Ltd. In 1982-83, three Shell Cup matches run by Canterbury showed a profit of $l5OO. Last season, two matches brought in a surplus of $lO,OOO — an indication of the present high interest in cricket, and in the success particularly of the one-day

match at Ashburton. The association had to find $13,500 for its Shell Cup and Trophy matches in 1982-83; last season it broke even on these games.

Mr Gallop feels the association can look forward to settled financial years. The Canterbury Trusteebank sponsorship announced last evening would have far-reaching benefits, he said. A sound financial basis was imperative, if the association was to do what it should do for the. benefit of cricket. In addition, there ws to be valuable sponsorship from Adidas and Lion Breweries. Mr Duckmanton said he was happy that an agreement had been reached with Adidas for the company to supply playing gear for the Canterbury Shell team. He added that Lion Breweries was again going to sponsor the “player of the day” competition and it was looking to increase its activity in that area this season.