The world’s premier domestic cricket competition, the Sheffield Shield, will change immediately to the Pura Milk Cup following a major sponsorship deal announced by the Australian Cricket board (ACB) today. (17.11.99)

Australia’s largest listed dairy company, National Foods Limited, today confirmed that it had signed a four-year, multi-million dollar sponsorship agreement with the ACB for the competition and will promote the benefits of pure Australian milk through the Pura Milk Cup.

ACB Chief Executive, Malcolm Speed, welcomed National Foods Limited investment into Australian cricket.

‘In National Foods and Pura Milk, the ACB has found ideal partners to help secure the future of one of the building blocks of Australia’s international success, the four-day interstate competition,’ said Mr Speed.

National Foods Limited Managing director, Max Ould, said Pura Milk’s association with the competition will bring benefits for both the brand and the ACB.

‘The only successful sponsorships are those that work for both parties and certainly we will be looking to promote the benefits of pure Australian milk through the Pura Milk Cup.

‘At the same time, our investment with the ACB and our commitment to promote the Pura Milk Cup through our national marketing activities will help secure and build the future of this important competition,’ said Mr Ould.

Mr Speed said that the decision to rename the competition the Pura milk Cup had not been taken lightly.

‘We consulted widely on the issue with current and past players, cricket administrators, cricket supporters, the media and other cricket stakeholders during our 12-month strategic planning process.

‘The overwhelming feedback was that the most important issue confronting the Sheffield Shield was not its name, but rather to preserve and strengthen the integrity of the competition itself.

‘With the support of Pura Milk we can now ensure that our domestic four-day competition remains the foundation stone of Australia’s international success,’ said Mr Speed.

Despite widespread public support and an international reputation as the best domestic cricket competition in the world, the Sheffield Shield was heavily reliant on funding running into millions of dollars from all other forms of cricket to keep the competition alive.

With this announcement, the ACB has been able to relieve the pressure of this financial burden and can now concentrate on strengthening the interstate competition and its role in Australian cricket’s success.

Background Information of the Pura Milk Cup

The winners of the Pura Milk Cup will be awarded the Pura Milk Cup, not the Sheffield Shield. The Sheffield Shield will remain on display at the ACB head office.

The four-year deal gives Pura Milk major sponsorship of a competition with media exposure valued at $22 million per season. The deal also includes exclusive naming rights, branding on player shirts, perimeter fence signage, grass signage, stumps signage and many more benefits.

Prize money for the competition will be $220,000. The winner will receive $75,000 (up $25,000 from last year) and the runner-up $45,000 (up $15,000). The other four teams share the rest in a total prizemoney pool of $22,000 (up $68,000).

There will be no immediate changes to the competition. Other than incentives for fast over rates, the conditions of the Pura milk Cup matches will remain the same and aim to reflect the conditions of Test cricket. The current format of 10 rounds played over 125 days during the Australian summer will continue.

The decision to rename the competition the Pura Cup was not taken lightly. During its 12 month strategic planning process, the ACB canvassed the option of a wide stakeholder network, which consisted of current and past players, cricket administrators, cricket supporters, the media and other cricket stakeholders.

The overwhelming feedback was that the most important issue confronting the Sheffield Shield was not its name, but rather to preserve and strengthen the integrity of the competition itself.

The support of Pura Milk ensures that the domestic four day competition remains the foundation stone of Australia’s international success.

The decision was also made for financial reasons. Despite widespread public support and an international reputation as the best domestic cricket competition in the world, the Sheffield Shield was heavily reliant on funding running into millions of dollars from all other forms of cricket to keep the competition alive. With this announcement, the ACB has been able to relieve the pressure of this financial burden and can now concentrate on strengthening the interstate competition and its role in Australian cricket’s success.

First Class Teams

New South Wales; Queensland; South Australia; Tasmania; Victoria; Western Australia

For further information please contact The Australian Cricket Board on Telephone: +61 3 9653 9999, Fax: +61 39653 9911. http://www.abc.com.au