Cricket: Domestic competitions lose sponsor

Long-time cricket sponsor State is cutting its ties with the sport in New Zealand.

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) announced after its board meeting yesterday that State's 10-year sponsorship of the domestic competitions was over.

The insurance company had naming rights to the three men's domestic competitions, the first-class, 50-over and Twenty20, and the women's national one-day league but said the sponsorship "had reached the end of its natural life-cycle".

NZC chief executive Justin Vaughan praised the outgoing sponsor, but pointed out there were good reasons for other businesses to look hard at taking up the vacancy.

"We've seen a sustained surge in television coverage and viewing numbers for domestic cricket.

"The addition of the New Zealand champion Twenty20 team into the new Champions League in October will further increase the profile and support of domestic cricket in this country."

That, Vaughan added, would offer greater exposure to new sponsorship partners.

Vaughan said that New Zealand Cricket's sponsorship programme was in very good health.

"We enjoy long-term relationships with iconic brands such as the National Bank, Milo, Canterbury of New Zealand, Samsung and Gillette and we've also recently signed a major international sponsor, DEC."