ICC dials up Oppo as latest new global partner

The International Cricket Council has entered into a global partnership with Chinese smartphone manufacturer Oppo.

The company has been named a global partner of the sport’s world governing body under a four-year deal which will run from 2016 until 2020. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

ICC chief executive David Richardson said: “Oppo is one of the market leaders in its field with an impressive worldwide presence, especially in territories where the game of cricket continues to grow and, in a lot of cases, flourish.”

The Oppo contract comes after Japanese automotive company Nissan in October made its first significant venture into the cricket market by agreeing an eight-year deal with the ICC. Nissan became an official global partner of the ICC in a deal that will run until 2023.

Oppo is seeking to establish itself on the global sporting scene and in June became an official partner of Spanish LaLiga football giant Barcelona. The deal will run for three years, from 2015-16 to 2017-18.