BETASPORT, TOTE Tasmania’s sports betting business, has signed a sponsorship deal with Cricket Tasmania that will provide it with grade cricket naming rights to the Tasmanian Cricket Association, Northern Tasmanian Cricket Association and Cricket NW.

The three-year sponsorship includes a financial contribution and other bonuses payable during the life of the agreement.

Cricket Tasmania Chairman Tony Harrison said the sponsorship partnership brought together a highly successful business in TOTE Tasmania and Tasmania’s most successful sport - cricket.

“It’s a great partnership for the sport that will support grass roots cricket throughout the state,” he said.

“It will enable us to maintain our funding to the 20 grade cricket clubs (eight in the south and six each in the north and north-west), which we will look to enhance through the life of the sponsorship partnership.”

Mr Harrison said Cricket Tasmania did not view the sponsorship as promoting wagering.

“What we are saying to our supporters is, if you are going to have a wager, do it with a Tasmanian business that supports Tasmanian sport and the Tasmanian community,” he said.

TOTE Tasmania CEO Craig Coleman said the BETASPORT sponsorship agreement with Tasmanian cricket was the latest naming rights partnership the sports betting business had signed with Tasmanian sport.

“We are obviously very pleased to be able to align our sports betting business with cricket,” he said.

“We have said from the time BETASPORT commenced operations in April this year that it was important to get our new name out into the broader Tasmanian community, and specifically the sporting community.

“There is no better way to do that during the summer months than via cricket.”

Mr Coleman said while the global financial crisis seemed to be easing, it was still very difficult for sporting clubs and organisations to secure vital sponsorship support.

“The sponsorship model TOTE Tasmania has developed for its BETASPORT business truly benefits both organisations,” he said.

“In this case the sport of cricket benefits through the financial contribution we are providing and TOTE Tasmania benefits through business growth.”

Media Notes:

Affiliated Grade Clubs

BETASPORT, TOTE will have sole and exclusive naming rights sponsorship of the below clubs which includes all 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade traditional premiership competitions in each region and the state-wide Twenty20 competition, excluding the Kookaburra Cup. The sponsorship will cover male and female clubs, however Betasport branding will only appear on the clothing of players who are 18-years of age or older.