Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Paschal Donohoe TD, has today (Wednesday) said that the announcement by Cricket Ireland of a significant multi-million euro Naming Rights Partnership for the National Cricket Academy will help guarantee the continuation of top-class Irish cricketers on the world stage.
Minister Donohoe was speaking following the announcement of a sponsorship deal between Cricket Ireland and Indian conglomerate, Shapoorji Pallonji, for the naming rights of the Cricket Ireland National Academy, which will now become known as the Shapoorji Pallonji Cricket Ireland Academy.
Minister Donohoe said: ‘This 10 year multi-million euro investment by Shapoorji Pallonji, who will become an official partner to Cricket Ireland, is one of the biggest sports sponsorship deals in the last number of years. In addition to it being a great news story for Irish sport, it is also a great news story for Ireland and our business links to India’.
“The deal will secure the future of the Shapoorji Pallonji Cricket Ireland Academy and will guarantee that Ireland continues to have top class cricketers representing their country here and abroad. Cricket’s profile among the media and general public has grown significantly as Ireland continues to produce results on the international stage. The Cricket Ireland Academy, which was established in 2013, aims to identify and support the most talented young male and female players in the country and to provide them with a world-class player development programme so that they have the best possible chance of success. This deal will secure that prospect and has the potential to keep Irish cricket firmly on an upward trajectory.”
Minister Ring said: ‘Cricket in Ireland has been on an upward curve since the World Cup in the West Indies in 2007 and it is now firmly on the Irish sporting fan’s radar. Ireland’s memorable win over Pakistan at that World Cup was a catalyst for a new-found interest among Irish people in the sport. However, it was the team’s brilliant performance at the 2011 World Cup in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, and particularly that win over England in Bangalore that made world headlines and had the whole country talking cricket. Indeed, just within the last week, we have seen our Irish team perform brilliantly again when they defeated Scotland in their three-match one-day international series at Malahide. I am delighted that this deal is taking place, which I have no doubt will further cement cricket’s place in Irish sport and provide unprecedented opportunities for our cricketers in the future’.
Ends