US$51m sponsorship value from hosting CPL 2020

The partnership between the 2020 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20 tournament and Tourism Trinidad Ltd (TTL), which showcased Trinidad and Tobago as a preferred destination of choice in the Caribbean, generated a sponsorship value of US$51.5 million.

A statement issued by CPL communications officer Peter Miller on Thursday said the tournament’s viewership delivered a record viewership of 523 million – an increase of 67 per cent from 2019.

Owing to the pandemic, the CPL was played, for the first time, in one Caribbean nation and in a bio-secure bubble. The Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba and the Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain were the only two venues.

“TT were vital partners in delivering the 2020 Hero CPL. With Hero CPL taking place behind closed doors in TT there was even more focus than ever before from television broadcast and social media channels,” the statement said.

TTL had extensive destination branding at both the Oval and the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, such as team branding, in-stadium branding, and in-country fan zones.

Bespoke TV and Digital Content featured TT’s sites and attractions. The report, created by YouGov Sport, also showed that TT received 461 hours of brand exposure across the tournament – a significant year-on-year increase from 2019.

In addition, the TV broadcast and social media coverage highlighted some of what TT has to offer visitors.

The release added that the successful implementation of the tournament in exceptional circumstances showcased the nation’s ability to host a major international sporting event safely and successfully in the most challenging conditions.

Pete Russell, Hero CPL’s chief operations officer, said, “We are hugely grateful to TT for hosting us in the most trying of circumstances and the tournament could not have happened without their support.

“That Hero CPL were able to deliver such fantastic numbers for TT is hugely pleasing and it showed the world that even during these difficult times the Caribbean is open for business.

“We are sure that many people will have been inspired to visit this great country having seen it on this year’s Hero CPL broadcasts.”

In congratulating the tournament’s success, acting CEO of TTL Heidi Alert said such sporting events are the engine room of the Caribbean’s promotional arsenal.

She said CPL’s audience included not only the Caribbean and India, but the regional diaspora and cricket lovers in Europe, North America, Africa, Middle East, and the Asian Pacific. Alert said, “Not only are the skills, athletic brilliance, passion, and intensity of the players captured, but we were able to create awareness and excitement about our island.

“A subsequent international research survey, undertaken by TTL during October 2020, showed that 84 per cent of people who watched the cricket series, said they would travel to TT because of the destination branding during the CPL T20.”

Alert added, “The Hero CPL has really given new life to the game of cricket especially as it was successfully executed – without incident – in a covid19-safe environment.”