Luxury hotel chain, Sandals Resorts, has replaced Digicel as the major commercial sponsors of West Indies cricket, in a two-year deal which will run until December 2020.
In a partnership announced Tuesday, the Caribbean brand will sponsor all West Indies representative teams from Under-15s through to the senior men’s and women’s squads. Sandals will also serve as kit sponsors and will also have major stadium branding and broadcast sponsorship.
New partnership hailed
Cricket West Indies chief executive, Johnny Grave, hailed the new partnership, noting that both Sandals and CWI shared similar regional objectives.
“Windies cricket is the heartbeat of the Caribbean and we’re thrilled to partner with such a prestigious international brand as Sandals which is also synonymous with promoting the best of the Caribbean to the world,” the Englishman said. “Sandals shares our determination to strengthen and grow cricket across the region, as well as harnessing cricket’s power to drive economic investment and tourism.
New 5-year strategic plan
“This announcement comes at an exciting time for CWI, as we have just embarked on an ambitious new five-year strategic plan.
Sandals Resorts’ investment will not only help fuel the game at all levels within the Caribbean but will enable us to achieve our strategic objectives,” he noted. “We are thrilled that Sandals have agreed to partner us once again and that they are re-invigorating their support of cricket within the region.”
Sandals were sponsors for the Hurricane Relief Twenty20 at Lord’s, which saw West Indies face an ICC World XI last Thursday, to raise funds to rebuild stadia in the Caribbean damaged by the passage of Hurricanes Irma and Maria last September.
Natural synergy
Sandals chairman Gordon “Butch” Stewart said there was a natural synergy between the company and West Indies cricket.
“Our relationship with West Indies cricket is not a new one, having sponsored tours to the UK in 1995, 2000 and 2004, and we have now deepened our support for the Windies with this sponsorship which will cover all upcoming tours including the World Cup until the end of 2020,” said Stewart.
“We have absolutely loved our association with West Indies Cricket over the years, and we look forward with great enthusiasm to this latest partnership, which started with a win against the ICC World XI in the hurricane relief fund-raising match at Lord’s on May 31.
“We look forward to the Windies continuing its winning ways in the series against Sri Lanka, and the others to come.”
Believes in collective power of Caribbean
“Sandals believes in the collective power of our Caribbean people, which has been at the heart of our success as the world’s leading all-inclusive company for 22 consecutive years,” Stewart said.
“Similarly, the Windies has been one of the most important institutions in fostering regional unity and pride. Sandals and West Indies cricket are two of the most successful indigenous brands to have come out of the Caribbean, which makes this partnership a natural fit, and we are proud to work alongside Cricket West Indies once more.”
The announcement comes just a week after CWI announced they were ending their long-term association with telecommunications giants Digicel, with a year still left on the deal.
That commercial partnership lasted 13 years and followed on from a similar long-term deal with Digicel’s rivals, Cable and Wireless.
