Mark Butcher has become the first England cricketer to secure a corporate sponsor to place a logo on the back of his cricket bat.

Easter Holdings Ltd’s logo ‘Easter’ shall appear on the back of Butcher’s bat. This deal has resulted from a change in the ICC’s regulations (the international governing body of cricket), which now permit for the first time a corporate logo other than that of the bat maker on the back of a cricketer’s bat.

Butcher’s management team, athletes1, brokered the deal which follows in the footsteps of similar deals for Australian players Glenn McGrath and Adam Gilchrist. Butcher’s bat was an attractive billboard for Easter Holding’s brand due to his good performances and corresponding length of time at the crease. In the last two series against Australia and India he has averaged 50.66 and 43.00 respectively, opening the innings.

Butcher’s manager at athletes1, David Ligertwood, commented:

‘Mark is enjoying the resurgence in his career both on and off the field. This latest sponsorship is testimony to how well he is doing on the pitch and, just as importantly, just how popular he is off it. Mark as a personality has qualities that companies wish to be associated with, and is one that can deliver significant exposure.’

On the ground breaking sponsorship deal Butcher commented:

‘I am delighted that athletes1 and Peter Taylor at Easters have been able to come up with this arrangement. Easter Holdings is a company that I am proud to represent and the pleasing thing about this type of sponsorship is that Easters will benefit directly the more time I spend out in the middle’.

Mark Butcher departs for New Zealand with the England Test team on 21st February.

For further infromation please contact:

athletes1
T: +44 (0) 20 7421 7580
F: +44 (0) 20 7421 7550
E: team@athletes1.co.uk
W: www.athletes1.co.uk