BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – OD Brisbane and Company has joined the ranks of companies that have thrown their support behind the St. Kitts-Nevis Patriots.
The company, under the Crix brand, has partnered with the Patriots to the tune of over $20,000 for in-stadium promotions and other support to the locally-based professional franchise.
At a simple ceremony at the company’s Bird Rock Office yesterday (Jul. 20), Dwight Fredericks handed over the cheque to Chief Operations Officer of the Patriots, Richards Berridge.
Not disclosing the exact amount that would be given to the Patriots, Fredericks explained that the gesture is one of the local distributor’s ways in giving back to the people of St. Kitts and Nevis, as well as to the team.
He noted that the Crix brand is already associated with the CPL, as their distributing partners in Guyana, Trinidad, Jamaica and Barbados have already began working with the tournament through various means, and it was only fitting for those in St. Kitts and Nevis to follow suit.
“We have realized that cricket is very important in the Caribbean and in St. Kitts and Nevis. So, in giving back, we decided to do so with the local team through sponsoring the team in order to be part of CPL as well,” Fredericks said.
Berridge intimated that in order for the franchise to grow and survive, there has to be an increase of its commercial partners.
He expressed his appreciation for Crix through its distributor, OD Brisbane, and declared that the Patriots are now looking to build on that partnership.
“We are happy that brands have seen value in not only the local franchise but the tournament itself. And we are very excited about this partnership and look forward to executing what we have to during the tournament.”
The COO confessed that since the start of the league it has been difficult to attract commercial partners, and “what we require to maintain this level of franchise sport is difficult in the smaller markets and also difficult in the Caribbean”.
Further, he stated that the league had to go global in terms of partners, especially with its broadcasting rights.
The twin-sland Federation has benefited international through the Caribbean Premier League, as St. Kitts had hosted the final on two occasions and was promoted in over 100 million homes worldwide.
This year, the tournament bowls off on August 4 in Florida before making its rounds through the Caribbean, stopping over in St. Kitts and Nevis from August 18- 23.
The playoffs and final are slated to be held in Trinidad and Tobago from September 5-9.
