Scotiabank and WICB sign ‘historic’ new five-year contract

Scotiabank and the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) this week signed a new five-year contract to officially return the Bank as the exclusive sponsor of the Kiddy Cricket Programme and the Official Bank of West Indies Cricket.{{more}}

The contract was inked at the headquarters of the Jamaica Cricket Association by Dave Cameron, the new president of the WICB, Michael Muirhead, chief executive officer of the WICB and Scotiabank director of Marketing for the English Caribbean, Heather Goldson. The new agreement will see the Bank almost doubling its investment in Kiddy Cricket and is the longest sponsorship contract that the Bank has signed with the WICB in its 14-year history of the supporting game.

Scotiabank’s renewed investment in the programme comes as a clear commitment to the development of West Indies Cricket and a vote of confidence in the future of the game. “We have seen significant progress in the Kiddy Cricket programme over the last 14 years as title sponsors. We have reached over 750,000 children since inception, and have had the satisfaction of seeing Kiddy Cricketers rising to the pinnacle of the game as national and as West Indian players. We are fully committed to continuing to play our part in growing the sport, and building that next generation of cricket greats,” explained Heather Goldson, Regional Director of Marketing for the English Caribbean.

Commenting on the renewal of the contract with Scotiabank, WICB’s CEO Michael Muirhead said “WICB holds the Kiddy Cricket programme as a high priority initiative, as it is the base of the cricket development path in the region and we are very pleased to renew this sponsorship with our long standing sponsor and partner Scotiabank.”

The new contract will allow the Board to execute an expanded technical programme aimed at teaching foundation cricketing skills to the over 150,000 students who are currently enrolled. As part of the expanded programme, Scotiabank will be funding the provision of close to 10,000 Kiddy Cricket kits, including bats, balls, and stumps to schools across the region.

Scotiabank’s Senior Vice President for the Caribbean Region Claude Norfolk was pleased to see the regional cricket sponsorship contract renewed, as he believes in the power of cricket as a positive and unifying force in the countries in which the bank operates. “Scotiabank is proud to renew our regional sponsorship with West Indies Cricket Board. The programme has enjoyed tremendous success over the years, as we impart not just foundation cricketing skills, but pass on part of the valuable heritage and pride associated with West Indies cricket.

We recognize that cricket is one of the strongest unifying forces in the region and Scotiabank is proud to have played a pivotal role for more than 14 years in supporting the growth of the sport and passing on that legacy to the next generation.”

Kiddy Cricketers across the region will now also benefit from an investment being made by the Bank to provide additional technical coaches in schools, so as to meet the increased interest and participation in the programme. Twenty new coaches will be added to the current staff of 48 working with the students in the various countries. The additional coaches will now be able to provide longer hours of technical supervision as coaches to PE teachers and students. All coaches in the programme will also now receive mandatory foundation coach training through a new partnership being developed by the West Indies Cricket Board in Association with University of Technology, UTECH.