KENSINGTON OVAL, the long established bastion of Barbados and West Indies cricket, could be in for a slight name change.
And it all has to do with bringing in revenue for the world-class facility which was redeveloped to the tune of $150 million for the 2007 World Cup.
Kensington Oval Management Inc (KOMI), which markets the venue, is seeking expressions of interest from Barbadian companies with an interest in having their name incorporated into Kensington Oval’s brand for five to ten years.
If the deal is sealed, the entity will have its name appearing ahead of Kensington Oval.
In a statement provided to the SUNDAY SUN following enquires on the matter (see Page 7B), KOMI chief executive officer Henry Inniss said the move was prompted by the need to explore additional sources of revenue if the operation is to break even and eventually make a profit.
“Naming rights represent an exchange of value between two entities where one pays a fee for the promotional value of placing its name on the other’s asset for a specified period of time,” Inniss said.
“This concept is not novel but has been used by many stadia across the world as a way of generating revenue to support the high cost of operating a stadium.”
Inniss, a former chairman of the National Sports Council, pointed to examples around the world, including the Oval in Surrey. Once known as Kennington Oval, it is now called The Brit Insurance Oval.
In Melbourne, Australia, what used to be Stadium Australia was re-named ANZ Stadium after a deal was concluded with ANZ Bank in 2007 worth around AUS$31.5 million over seven years.
The naming rights partner will derive a range of benefits, including:
• The company’s brand will be incorporated into the Kensington Oval brand for all purposes (letterheads, Press releases, advertising etc.) for a period of five to ten years.
• The company’s name will be included in the Kensington Oval brand on the 3Ws stand.
• The company’s brand will be put on the roof of the Hewitt & Inniss stand.
• The company’s brand will be put on external walls.
“Naming rights with Kensington Oval, a highly visible world-class multi-purpose facility, would be a tremendous asset for a company that is keen to further penetrate the local market or to maintain its market dominance,” Inniss said.
“Kensington Oval is in a high traffic area and even when there are no events, the naming rights partner’s brand will be seen daily by thousands of persons on their way to and from Bridgetown.”
Kensington Oval, once the home of the Pickwick Club for more than 100 years, was first used for cricket in 1882 and staged its first international match in 1895 and its first Test match in 1930.
In addition to the West Indies team enjoying an outstanding record on the ground – winning 21 of 46 Tests – Kensington also wrote its name in history by hosting the 2007 World Cup final and the 2010 World Twenty20 final.
