Welcome to Emirates Old Trafford
Lancashire County Cricket Club has agreed a 10-year stadium naming rights deal with Dubai-based airline Emirates.
The club's home ground will be renamed Emirates Old Trafford and the Emirates brand will appear on the front of the team's Friends Life t20 playing kits. The new agreement also includes stadium branding and contains a number of marketing rights, which come into effect immediately.
The announcement extends Emirates global commitment to cricket, which includes its status as Official Worldwide Partner to the International Cricket Council, which includes the Cricket World Cup.
Sir Maurice Flanagan, executive vice chairman of Emirates Airline & Group, said: "This is an excellent opportunity to build upon Emirates' commitment to cricket, a sport we have been associated with in the UK since 2002.
"This association also highlights our continued investment in Manchester and the surrounding region, a hub which we see as vital to our operations in the UK and from which we operate three daily flights, including one of our flagship A380s."
"We're hugely looking forward to supporting Lancashire cricket and its fans both here and abroad, in what is a further significant investment by Emirates to the region. Cricket at Lancashire County Cricket Club is of the highest quality, it has a global reach and has produced legends in the sport and we are proud to be lending our name to such incredible success."
The ground is currently going through a £32m redevelopment to prepare it for future international test matches. The Ashes returns this year for the first time since 2005.
Michael Cairns, chairman of Lancashire County Cricket Club, said: "This announcement represents another major step in the redevelopment of Old Trafford.
"The intention to secure a naming rights partner was always on our list of objectives; however, it remained paramount that we secure a partner who was actively committed to cricket and its future while at the same time had significant interests in Manchester and the North West.
"We could not have found a better and more suitable partner than Emirates. We are extremely proud to be associated with them and look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship.
"The financial benefits of this deal are a core component of our long-term strategy for commercial sustainability. The partnership will support our intention to be regarded as one of the top County Cricket Clubs in the country and undisputed as a Category A Test Match venue. We remain committed to providing the very best facilities for our members, players and spectators."
