Emirates is proud to announce the
extension of its relationship with the International Cricket Council (ICC)
for another three years. Emirates’ sponsorship of the ICC’s elite panel of umpires and match referees for all Test and One Day international matches will see match officials
sporting the famous ‘Fly Emirates’ branding on their field clothing. The
officials will continue to be known as the ‘Emirates Elite Panel of
International Cricket Council Umpires and Referees’.

This relationship is further enhanced by the fact that the ICC itself has
recently announced that it will be moving its head office to Dubai, the home
of Emirates Airline. In addition to Emirates branding at international
cricket grounds and on the umpires themselves, this relationship also sees
Emirates become the Official Airline of the ICC - further cementing the
relationship between the sport and the airline.

The number of International cricket matches featuring Emirates-branded
umpires will be in the region of 120 One Day Internationals and 55 Test
matches a year. That represents a potential 395 days of televised cricket
per year with a global audience of approximately 3.5 billion viewers
throughout the three year term of Emirates’ agreement with the ICC. Emirates has an impressive list of sports sponsorships to its name across
the globe and believes that sports sponsorship is an excellent way of connecting with its
customers.

 

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman Emirates Group, said: “Emirates
has built up and developed some incredibly strong properties in its
portfolio of sports sponsorships and cricket is a game that is passionately
supported in many of our key markets.

 

“Our sponsorship of the International Cricket Council is an excellent way
for us to connect with our customers, and to share and support their
interests and passions, and we are very proud to announce the continuation
of our relationship with them. Sports sponsorships help us to promote Dubai in the international arena as
a premier business, tourist and sporting destination, both in our home base
as well as in the 77 other cities we serve.”

 

Malcolm Speed, the ICC’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “The ICC is
delighted that Emirates has chosen to extend its highly valued relationship
with international cricket. It is very positive for international cricket
and for Emirates that there is a continuity in this sponsorship and that
fans and TV audiences can instantly recognise the Emirates Elite Panel of
International Cricket Council Umpires and Referees as an integral part of
the international game.

 

“Emirates is a terrific partner to work with and it has proved its
commitment to international cricket over the life of the existing agreement.
The ICC is looking forward to building on this excellent relationship going
forward, particularly in light of the strategic decision to move the ICC
administration to Dubai.” 

 

In addition to its sponsorship of the ICC, Emirates sports sponsorships
include horse racing with the Dubai World Cup and The Emirates Melbourne
Cup, America’s Cup sailing with Emirates Team New Zealand and football
through the 2006 FIFA World Cup, among many others. Emirates’ continued sponsorship of the ICC shows both its understanding of
the interests of its customers as well as its commitment to international
cricket.
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