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Emirates names its first cricket stadium

Emirates has stepped up to the crease to name its first dedicated cricket stadium, the third international sports stadium to be named by the airline around the world.

Durham County Cricket Club’s home in the UK has been named Emirates Durham International Cricket Ground. The renaming of the venue in Chester-le-Street - near Newcastle in the North East of England - follows a ground-breaking competition. Fans were invited to submit their suggestions based on the values of both the club and the airline.

The renaming of the ground is an integral part of a six year sponsorship agreement with the club, which also includes branding on the team’s Twenty20 shirts.

The partnership is an important addition to Emirates’ impressive cricket portfolio, which includes an official partnership with the International Cricket Council (ICC), as well as the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires.

As part of their ICC sponsorship, the award-winning international airline is gearing up for the all-important 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup, which takes place in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. This World Cup is directly before the start of the 2011 Indian Premier League season where Emirates will enter its third consecutive season as shirt sponsor of the King’s XI Punjab.

A ceremony to reveal the new stadium name, involving a giant pitch banner, was held directly before the club’s home Twenty20 match against the Lancashire Lightning on Friday 4^th June in front of a sell-out crowd of 8,000.