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04.04.02 (With
Follow-up Questions 05.04.02)
Q&A with Howard Petrook, the man put in charge of finding a
sponsor for Canadian Cricket.
Q:
Mr. Petrook, many people associated with the Toronto cricket scene
will know who you are, and your role in securing sponsorship for the National
Team. However, since you are working on behalf of cricketers all across
Canada, could you give the rest of us a brief introduction to yourself
and your task.
A:
I am the Chairman of cricket at the Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling
Club. I was involved in helping to organize the indoor games for the United
Way in the Sky Dome. I was also a member of the organizing committee for
the ICC Trophy 2001 in Toronto. My responsibility on the committee was
for communications, marketing and publicity; I chaired a sub-committee
who were responsible for this. I have been actively involved in Canadian
cricket for many years.
Once Canada
qualified to participate in the World Cup in 2003 the CCA appointed a
fund raising committee to raise sponsorship funds from Canadian Corporations.
I am the chairman of this committee. The committee has put together a
sponsorship plan and package and has forwarded it to potential sponsors.
Q:
Obviously, it has been very difficult finding sponsorship for the National
Team and Programs. How have the potential sponsors been approached, do
you stress the recognition they will receive in Canada or do you stress
the global audience that will be exposed to their corporate logo?
A:
Companies have been phoned, e-mailed and wherever possible meetings have
been held with them. The sponsorship package we have assembled details
opportunities for corporate participation and exposure both in Canada
and internationally.
Q:
Have you contacted any of the other National Governing bodies, such as
the Canadian Soccer Association or Canadian Rugby Association for their
advice in finding sponsorship?
A:
Yes. Rugby Canada gave us some advice as to how
they obtained government funding. We are following some of their advice
and have approached some agencies.
We are awaiting a response to these applications.
Q:
Have you contact the International Management Group (IMG), who represent
India and Pakistan and had organized the Sahara Cup Matches in Toronto,
to seek their advice?
A:
IMG did not represent India and Pakistan in organizing the Sahara Cup.
IMG held the rights to put on the Sahara Cup. They obtained the sponsors,
the TV rights and contracted the teams to play. I am not aware if IMG
have not been approached to help. Their mandate is a sports management
and promotional one. I am not sure if they would raise funds for a cricket
team. If we were ever to have a cricket tournament in which Canada participated
in, in Canada they would definitely be considered to manage the event.
Q:
I was under the impression that IMG is
the agent for India and Pakistan, as they are the agent for the Canadian
Soccer Association. I believe they are also the agents for the West Indies
Cricket Board. I had seen a program during a rain delay with the CEO of
IMG stating that fact during the Sahara Cup Matches. That they represent
the boards in negotiations for television, sponsorship etc. Has this changed?
A:
IMG are not in the same position as they used to be with regards to world
cricket as they were outbid by WSG for the rights to most matches featuring
ICC Test/ODI Nations.
Q:
Part and Parcel with the sponsorship will be getting the matches of the
World Cup and other cricket on the television in Canada. For example,
Sprint Canada might sponsor the national team only if they are able to
have their advertising shown during the World Cup. This would mean approaching
the CBC, Rogers Sportsnet and TSN, to show Canada's and other marquee
match-ups. Is this something that falls under your role with the CCA?
A:
The ICC has sold the rights to international cricket to WSG( World Sports
Group) for the next ten years. The rights cost WSG many millions of pounds.
In return for these rights WSG controls all sponsorship and advertising
that can be sold or associated with the World Cup or any other official
ODI tournament. The only areas not covered by this agreement are tours
such as Canada is currently on in South Africa and Namibia, The Americas
Cup and games Canada may play here in Canada in preparation for the World
Cup. WSG plans to have 10 or 12 major sponsors for cricket internationally.
Only these sponsors may be promoted or named during any of the games covered
by the ICC/WSG agreement.
These restrictions
were also in place during the recent ICC 2001 Trophy in Canada. These
restrictions prevented us from selling advertising or sponsorship for
the ICC 2001Trophy tournament.
Q:
If and when you find a suitable sponsor, will the relationship be geared
solely towards the World Cup, or will part of the agreement be that this
company supports Canadian Cricket for the long term, say the next 5-10
years?
A:
Our objective is to build a long term relationship with corporate sponsors.
We also plan to use sponsorship funds for a schools program and to foster
cricket across Canada.
Q:
What about the existing World Cup title sponsors, Pepsi, LG, Hero Honda
and all of them, do they not wish to extend their partnership down to
the national team level?
A:
These sponsors respond that their parent company supports the World Cup
but this does not necessarily extend to individual teams or countries.
Q:
Thank you very much Mr. Petrook
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