Cricket Kenya, who have been searching hard for a sponsor, today announced that they have joined forces with Nimbus Sport in a partnership deal worth US$1 million over 6 years. Under the deal, Nimbus gets the sole rights to manage all media and sponsorship rights as well as all television production during the term of the contract. Nimbus will pay Cricket Kenya a minimum of US$150 000 per annum for this privilege, which could well turn into a lot more should they secure major sponsors. Paid quarterly, this will provide at the least a steady income for Cricket Kenya throughout the year, and has the potential to bring in much more. It is after all unlikely a company with Nimbus’ experience would enter into an agreement of this sort if they did not think they could benefit from it. To do this, they are going to have to bring in some major sponsors for Cricket Kenya.

For Cricket Kenya, this partnership is the result of much hard work, but should have very positive repercussions. Essentially it hands over the search for sponsors to a massive international sports marketing company and allows the administration to concentrate on running the game in Kenya. This is a major step as one of the few criticisms so far of Cricket Kenya is that they have spent too much time running after sponsorship dollars rather than looking at developing the game itself. Cricket Kenya will however feel vindicated having secured this agreement, and with Nimbus on board the time and energy otherwise tied up can now be concentrated on the growing the grass roots.

Nimbus Sports have already worked with Cricket Kenya when they managed the rights and production of the tri series with Bangladesh, so they are a familiar entity and they also have had a good record with their other partners. Not only does the deal with Nimbus give Kenyan cricket a regular base income, it should also provide further opportunity to play against the Asian Test sides. With the exception of Sri Lanka, all have existing contracts with Nimbus, and it is likely that this will give Cricket Kenya an added boost when looking for opposition from that region. Certainly, it will be in Nimbus’ interests to promote matches between the countries it manages.

Domestically too, the signs are good. Nimbus have the rights to televise the games played by Kenya and also any domestic games should they choose. Again, it will be in their interests to do so as it is through this exposure that they will entice sponsors. Bottom line is that Nimbus are keen to expand their dealings in Africa and to do this, it is in their interest that the game grows in the region. Provision of televised cricket to the Kenyan public will certainly help do this as well as keep the sponsors happy.

At first read, this partnership looks to be exactly the news Kenyan Cricket needed in the lead up to the World Cup. In 2003, Kenya’s qualification for the semi finals gave a real opportunity to grow the game back home. Sadly, through mismanagement, this did not happen. This time round, the signs are much more positive. Unlike 2003, there will almost certainly be sponsors and there will definitely be enough money to reward the players properly as well as build the infrastructure at a domestic level. Promoted correctly, and expect Nimbus to do this, interest and awareness in the game should increase dramatically in Kenya over the next four months. Managed correctly by Cricket Kenya, the provincial bodies and clubs, this should translate into an increase in player numbers and a strengthening of the game. It is a golden opportunity and one that must not be allowed to go to waste.