Vertu Motors signs partnership deals with Yorkshire and Durham cricket clubs

Vertu Motors has signed two-year partnership deals with Yorkshire and Durham County cricket clubs.

Players from both County Championship teams, and the women’s North East Warriors cricketers will wear shirts with Vertu Motors branding, which will also be in situ within the stadia.

This includes perimeter advertising for County Championship and England international fixtures.

In addition, the North East Terrace at The Riverside will be renamed the Vertu Motors Stand.

Vertu BMW Durham will also be supplying overseas player, Cameron Bancroft, with a vehicle.

The announcement follows the acquisition of the naming rights to the Eagles Community Arena in Newcastle.

Robert Forrester chief executive of Vertu Motors, said: “Vertu Motors head office is based in the North East and we currently operate a significant number of Vertu Motors dealerships both there, and in Yorkshire.

“Like many other sectors, sport has been hit by the pandemic and to forge partnerships with these two high-profile County Championship cricket clubs will be mutually beneficial.

“I am delighted that it hopefully coincides with the return of fans to Headingley and The Riverside and I am looking forward to one or two sunny days taking in the cricket.”

The AM100 car retailer Vertu Motors’ Bristol Street Motors and Macklin Motors renewed its sponsorship of Channel 4's coverage of Formula One.

Mark Arthur, chief executive officer at Yorkshire County Cricket Club said: “We are thrilled that they (Vertu Motors) will be displaying their brand on the back of all the men’s team playing shirts, and at Emerald Headingley, for the next two years. We are very excited to be working with the Vertu Motors team to ensure that they receive the maximum benefit of their association with The Yorkshire County Cricket Club.

“It has been a challenging 12 months but the support that we have received from our elite band of incumbent partners and new investment from Vertu Motors is absolutely integral to our business.

“We welcome them to the Yorkshire cricket family.”

Earlier this month, Cazoo, heycar and Vanarama all secured new football-related marketing opportunities.

Cazoo followed-up its existing sponsorship of Premier League Aston Villa and Everton with a “multi-year” dealer to become the Official Partner of the EFL – giving it exposure with all 72 clubs across the sport’s full spectrum of competitions.

Vanarama extended its long-standing sponsorship of Football’s National League in a £4 million deal, meanwhile, as heycar followed its sponsorship of the FA Cup on BT Sport by signing former England and Tottenham Hotspur star Jermaine Jenas to host a football-themed online content series.

Speaking to AM earlier this month, Marshall Motor Holdings chief executive Daksh Gupta said that his AM100 PLC had increased its marketing budget in a pivot towards sport over the past 12 months.

It has embraced advertising at televised Premier League and EFL football matches, England's Six Nations rugby matches and England cricket matches as well as sponsoring top darts players.