Willey outlines why cinch sponsorship is massive for Northants
David Willey has outlined what it will mean to Northamptonshire County Cricket Club to have the backing of cinch for the next six years.
And the captain believes the fruits of that mutually beneficial partnership will be seen on the field in the future.
Last Friday, Northants announced the first naming rights partnership in its 148‑year history.
As part of a landmark agreement with lead principal partner cinch, the home of the Steelbacks will officially be renamed the cinch County Ground.
The unprecedented six‑year deal represents a major investment and the club says it 'signals a shared commitment to sustainable growth, innovation and community impact'.
And former England international Willey, a standout product of the Northants pathway, said: "It's massive to really elevate the profile of the club, but also their long-term investment in the club allows the club to be able to deliver their community programmes, get out in the grassroots and really grow the game in the county.
"It's a historic moment for the club, the first time the ground is going to be sponsored and for it to be by a nationwide brand like cinch is a huge landmark.
"The coverage across various platforms that sport can give to brands and businesses is huge, and for them (cinch) to utilise those opportunities is great.
"This is obviously a nationwide brand, cinch is such a great brand and for them to have the partnership with the club is great.
"To have this place being called the cinch County Ground is only a good thing and what that enables the club to do from a cricket point of view is fantastic.
"When you talk about reaching out into grassroots cricket, which is a big focus for the club, financially there's zero return from that and it obviously costs money so to have a six-year partnership with cinch is going to benefit the ground, the business and the commercial side of things, but that money can also help facilitate that pathway stuff and grassroots cricket.
"Cricket can be quite a costly sport to send out into communities and schools and even the pathway here is not a cheap thing so to have that financial stability over a period of time is hopefully going to enable the club to elevate the grassroots game and pathway and hopefully over the years we'll see the fruit come through from that."
A Northants statement read: "The agreement builds on a successful four‑year partnership between the club and cinch, extending a relationship founded on shared values and collaborative success.
"The significant investment from cinch, will help drive diversification at the club, strengthen financial resilience and support further development both on and off the field.
"It will also play a key role in enhancing the supporter experience and expanding the ground’s growing events business.
"Founded in 1878, Northamptonshire County Cricket Club has never previously entered a stadium naming rights agreement, making the rebrand a defining moment in its history.”
The new identity was officially unveiled at a celebratory event at the ground, attended by professional players, special guests, schools and local community groups.
And Daniel Vernon, chief operating officer at Northamptonshire County Cricket Club, said: “This is a landmark moment for us as a club.
"We have never had a naming rights partner before, so to be able to take this step with cinch is incredibly special.
"Expanding our partnership in this way strengthens our commercial foundations and supports our long‑term vision, allowing us to enhance the experience for supporters, invest in our facilities and continue to grow our outreach and community work.”
Northants chief executive Ray Payne added: “It is an extremely exciting time for the club.
"Opportunities of this scale, with a national brand like cinch, do not come along often.
"This deal supports our ambition to establish the ground as a leading multi‑use events venue, while also providing the stability needed to invest not only in first‑class cricket but in our junior pathways, schools’ programmes and community initiatives.
"Everyone associated with the club is immensely proud to see our partnership with cinch reach this next stage, extending our relationship towards a decade.”
As the club’s lead principal partner, cinch branding already features prominently throughout the home of the Steelbacks and will be further enhanced through the renaming of the ground and updated visual identity.
For cinch, which also sponsors Northampton Saints, the partnership reflects its continued investment in Northamptonshire, where the nationwide business employs more than 2,000 people alone.
Avril Palmer-Lavery, chairman at Constellation Automotive Group, owners of cinch, said: “Our partnership with Northamptonshire County Cricket Club has gone from strength to strength, and this naming rights agreement represents a natural next step in that journey.
"The club has a proud heritage, a strong connection to its community and clear ambitions for the future, which closely align with cinch’s own values.
"We’re proud to put our name to such an iconic venue and excited about what we can achieve together over the coming years, both in terms of unforgettable matchday experiences and positive impact across the county.”
The enhanced partnership will also support the continuation and expansion of Northants' extensive community programmes, benefiting schools, charities and grassroots cricket across Northamptonshire and neighbouring counties.
To mark the announcement, last Friday dozens of local schoolchildren and community group members were invited to the ground to take part in free cricket coaching sessions led by Steelbacks captain Willey, alongside players from the club’s men’s and women’s professional squads.
Attendees included pupils from Spring Lane Primary, Northampton School for Girls, Weston Favell Primary Academy and Northampton Academy, as well as service users from Cube Disability and Walking Cricket groups.