The commercial tie-up between global logistics heavyweight DP World and the International Cricket Council (ICC) has today been expanded into a premier partnership.
DP World, which first came on board as an ICC sponsor in mid-2023 - initially as a second-tier partner - has now been upgraded to a top-tier partner.
The deal comes during the build-up to the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, which will run from June 1 to 29 in the US and Caribbean.
The new agreement entails DP World delivering the match ball for each of the 55 World Cup games, while also “presenting the trophy tour that brings the silverware to the event.”
The partnership runs through 2027, as was unveiled to Sportcal (GlobalData) when it was originally announced in June 2023.
In terms of specific logistical assistance for the T20 World Cup, DP World has provided “specialist solutions” to transport 10 cricket pitches from Florida to the newly-built Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York, which will play host to some of the tournament’s most high-profile games. A fleet of over 20 vehicles was used for this task.
Speaking to Sportcal at the initial deal announcement, DP World’s chief communications officer Daniel van Otterdijk referenced the US and Caribbean tournament, saying: “This is a great opportunity to build our brand in those cricketing markets that are new, like the US.
“That tournament [the T20 World Cup] is certainly an added benefit. The fact the ICC is now taking events to new markets and developing cricket there is certainly a benefit for sponsors. We see that as a great advantage for us.”
Commenting on the expanded tie-up, he said: “It makes perfect sense, given all we have achieved to date, that we progress to being a premier partner as we continue to strive towards the growth of the game.”
In terms of its other sporting sponsorships, DP World has been the title sponsor of what was previously known as the European Tour in golf since November 2021, while elsewhere in cricket it also has a deal in place with the ILT20 United Arab Emirates franchise league.
Anurag Dahiya, the ICC’s chief commercial officer, added: “DP World has been a highly supportive and active partner of the ICC, and we are very pleased with their upgrade to premier partner status, which highlights the significant value our partnerships bring to global brands.”
Earlier this month, the ICC unveiled a multi-year extension to its major commercial deal with Saudi Arabian oil giant Aramco.
Earlier this week, meanwhile, the ICC extended its partnership with FanCraze, the Indian non-fungible token (NFT) platform.
