Barclays Bowls Into Cricket History with Lord’s Deal in Melbourne
Marylebone
Cricket Club (MCC) announced today that Barclays will become the principal
partner of Lord’s Cricket Ground in a multi-year agreement starting this year. For
the bank, this is an expansion of its current sports portfolio, which until now
has supported football and tennis.
The
agreement includes the renaming of the Lord’s Media Centre to the Barclays
Media Centre, marking the bank’s entry into cricket alongside its existing
partnerships with the Premier League and Wimbledon. The award-winning facility,
opened in 1999, provides panoramic views of the grounds.
C.S. Venkatakrishnan, Group Chief Executive of Barclays
“It is a
privilege to partner with Lord’s, the Home of Cricket. Barclays and Lord’s, two
great British institutions, will work together to build the next generation of
budding cricketers,” C.S. Venkatakrishnan, Group Chief Executive of Barclays, said. “Barclays is invested in world-class
sports partnerships. We are eager to work with the MCC Foundation on their
grassroots cricket programmes, strengthening communities by providing access
and facilities for all players.”
The
partnership includes funding for the MCC Foundation’s Hub Programme, which will
expand from 124 to 200 locations by 2026. The program provides cricket coaching
and match play opportunities to state-educated children across the United
Kingdom.
Lord’s 2025
schedule includes four international fixtures: England-India men’s and women’s
matches, an England-South Africa men’s ODI, and the ICC World Test Championship
Final. In 2026, the ground will host its first women’s test match, marking 50
years since the first women’s team played at Lord’s.
🏏 Howzat for a new partnership!? 🏏 We’re excited to be the principal partner of Lord’s – the Home of Cricket – joining our commitment to professional and grassroots sport. pic.twitter.com/Xh9KqKH1B4
— Barclays Bank (@Barclays) January 27, 2025
“Barclays
shares our passion for working for the good of the game and ensuring that as
many young people throughout the UK can pick up a bat and ball and take part in
our wonderful game,” Rob Lynch, Interim Chief Executive & Secretary of MCC,
added. “Their incredible support for the MCC Foundation will help us make
cricket more accessible to thousands of young people, fostering the next
generation of talent and fans to Lord’s.”
Cricket Gaining Popularity Among Financial Firms
While soccer is widely recognized as the most popular sport globally, cricket also commands a substantial fanbase, estimated at 2.5 billion people worldwide. This growing audience has attracted financial firms, which are increasingly leveraging sponsorship agreements to enhance brand visibility among cricket fans.
One such example is CFI Financial Group, which recently entered an associate partnership with the MI Cape Town cricket team as its Official Online Trading Partner. MI Cape Town is part of MI Global’s network of five T20 teams operating across three continents. The team’s current lineup includes prominent international players such as Kagiso Rabada, Ben Stokes, and Rashid Khan.
Similarly, FP Markets, a global forex and CFDs broker, has strengthened its corporate social responsibility efforts by collaborating with Cricket Brasil, a member of the International Cricket Council. This partnership focuses on education, infrastructure development, and community support initiatives.
Another notable move comes from Tickmill, which signed former South African cricket player Jonty Rhodes as its brand ambassador. Rhodes, known for his exceptional fielding skills, represented South Africa internationally between 1992 and 2003. Following his retirement, he transitioned into coaching, serving as a fielding coach for domestic cricket teams in India and South Africa.
Marylebone
Cricket Club (MCC) announced today that Barclays will become the principal
partner of Lord’s Cricket Ground in a multi-year agreement starting this year. For
the bank, this is an expansion of its current sports portfolio, which until now
has supported football and tennis.
The
agreement includes the renaming of the Lord’s Media Centre to the Barclays
Media Centre, marking the bank’s entry into cricket alongside its existing
partnerships with the Premier League and Wimbledon. The award-winning facility,
opened in 1999, provides panoramic views of the grounds.
C.S. Venkatakrishnan, Group Chief Executive of Barclays
“It is a
privilege to partner with Lord’s, the Home of Cricket. Barclays and Lord’s, two
great British institutions, will work together to build the next generation of
budding cricketers,” C.S. Venkatakrishnan, Group Chief Executive of Barclays, said. “Barclays is invested in world-class
sports partnerships. We are eager to work with the MCC Foundation on their
grassroots cricket programmes, strengthening communities by providing access
and facilities for all players.”
The
partnership includes funding for the MCC Foundation’s Hub Programme, which will
expand from 124 to 200 locations by 2026. The program provides cricket coaching
and match play opportunities to state-educated children across the United
Kingdom.
Lord’s 2025
schedule includes four international fixtures: England-India men’s and women’s
matches, an England-South Africa men’s ODI, and the ICC World Test Championship
Final. In 2026, the ground will host its first women’s test match, marking 50
years since the first women’s team played at Lord’s.
🏏 Howzat for a new partnership!? 🏏 We’re excited to be the principal partner of Lord’s – the Home of Cricket – joining our commitment to professional and grassroots sport. pic.twitter.com/Xh9KqKH1B4
— Barclays Bank (@Barclays) January 27, 2025
“Barclays
shares our passion for working for the good of the game and ensuring that as
many young people throughout the UK can pick up a bat and ball and take part in
our wonderful game,” Rob Lynch, Interim Chief Executive & Secretary of MCC,
added. “Their incredible support for the MCC Foundation will help us make
cricket more accessible to thousands of young people, fostering the next
generation of talent and fans to Lord’s.”
Cricket Gaining Popularity Among Financial Firms
While soccer is widely recognized as the most popular sport globally, cricket also commands a substantial fanbase, estimated at 2.5 billion people worldwide. This growing audience has attracted financial firms, which are increasingly leveraging sponsorship agreements to enhance brand visibility among cricket fans.
One such example is CFI Financial Group, which recently entered an associate partnership with the MI Cape Town cricket team as its Official Online Trading Partner. MI Cape Town is part of MI Global’s network of five T20 teams operating across three continents. The team’s current lineup includes prominent international players such as Kagiso Rabada, Ben Stokes, and Rashid Khan.
Similarly, FP Markets, a global forex and CFDs broker, has strengthened its corporate social responsibility efforts by collaborating with Cricket Brasil, a member of the International Cricket Council. This partnership focuses on education, infrastructure development, and community support initiatives.
Another notable move comes from Tickmill, which signed former South African cricket player Jonty Rhodes as its brand ambassador. Rhodes, known for his exceptional fielding skills, represented South Africa internationally between 1992 and 2003. Following his retirement, he transitioned into coaching, serving as a fielding coach for domestic cricket teams in India and South Africa.
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