The Australian division of global payment services provider Mastercard has agreed a sponsorship deal with Cricket Australia.
Mastercard will serve as the official payment provider of Cricket Australia, with the agreement to cover the 2017-18 Ashes Series against England. The deal will run for three years in total.
Unique experiences will be launched for fans through Mastercard’s global Priceless platform as part of the agreement.
Experiences will include travel opportunities with the men’s national team, while young fans will be given the chance to serve as mascots.
Ben Amarfio, general manager of broadcasting, digital media and commercial for Cricket Australia, said: “The 2017-2018 summer of cricket is shaping up as a rare occasion for cricket fans and so it is fitting to have the Priceless experts, Mastercard, on board as we approach the season to make it an even better experience. We are genuinely excited about the prospect of offering numerous ‘priceless’ experiences to our fans.
“The partnership also represents our focus on securing investment for the benefit of all Australian cricket. We are pleased to have Mastercard as the official payment provider of Cricket Australia and we look forward to working with this great innovator to bring new experiences to the game over the next three years.”
The deal marks Mastercard’s second major sponsorship deal with an Australian sporting body in the space of a year, with the company having partnered with Tennis Australia last October. The wide-ranging deal covers the Australian Open grand slam tournament and also grants Mastercard naming rights to the Hopman Cup event.