The ECB Launch Free Tickets Initiative for Kids

 

 

The England and Wales Cricket Board has announced that all 18 First Class Counties and Scotland will offer free tickets to children attending Yorkshire Bank 40 games during the summer holidays.

Between 2nd and 26th August 2013 a total of 31 games will be available free of charge for any child under 16 visiting any of the selected matches with a paying adult, as part of a new ECB initiative that aims to attract more youngsters to watch live cricket at their local county.

The promotion starts with Surrey’s match against Essex Eagles at the Kia Oval on Friday 2nd August and closes with the last round of group matches on August Bank Holiday Monday 26^th, with teams fighting it out to qualify for the semi-finals.

David Collier, ECB chief executive, said: ‘We are delighted to offer this unique opportunity to young cricket fans this summer as we look to take advantage of the increased interest cricket enjoys during an Ashes summer.’

‘I would encourage any parent whose child may be interested in the sport to get down to their local County ground and experience the game live during the school holidays.’

For more information, visit www.ecb.co.uk/kidsgofree. 

 

 

 

The Football League Sign Sky Bet as their new Title Sponsor

The Football League and Sky Sports have agreed a new five year partnership that includes extending their existing broadcasting agreement for a further three years until 2018.

The partnership will also see Sky Bet become title sponsor of The Football League and Sky Sports offer more exclusively live matches than ever before, an increase of 37 live games per season.

From 2015/2016, a total of 148 live games will be shown each season from the Sky Bet Football League, Capital One Cup and Johnstone’s Paint Trophy. The agreement encompasses television, broadband internet, video-on-demand and mobile services.

In announcing the new agreement Football League chairman, Greg Clarke said: ‘We place huge value on the commitment Sky has made to our competitions and our clubs over many seasons and we are delighted that they wish to extend our relationship in this way.  Supporters will also welcome this news given the outstanding breadth of coverage delivered by Sky Sports.’

Clarke added: ‘The Football League is focused on delivering financial sustainability to our member clubs and this agreement will help us achieve that aim.  Already we are delivering careful management of costs through our Financial Fair Play regulations and now we can add increased revenues to our clubs.  They will be delighted by this news and the financial certainty it brings for the next 5 years.’

Barney Francis, managing director of Sky Sports, added:  ‘This agreement offers Sky Sports viewers more matches, more choice and more drama from all 72 clubs across The Football League.  Extending our Football League coverage until 2018 is excellent news for our viewers who have never enjoyed such a strong choice of live football coverage.  We are proud of our partnership with The Football League and can look forward to even more drama and excitement from its competitions for another five seasons.’