Securian Canada has been named the official insurance partner of professional Twenty20 cricket league Global T20 Canada.
The sponsorship represents Securian Canada’s first in cricket, with the company joining a roster of existing sponsors that include TD, Turkish Airlines, City of Brampton and the Ontario government, among others.
“As an organization, we are here for Canadians and their families in the moments that matter, and we are so pleased to extend that support to the athletes, coaches and staff of Cricket Canada as a sponsor of this year’s GT20 tournament,” says Nigel Branker, CEO of Securian Canada. “Cricket is the second-most popular sport in the world, and we are excited to cheer on the teams alongside the growing cricket fanbase in Canada.”
Jason Harper, tournament director at Global T20, says the league is “committed to collaborating with organizations that share our aim to grow the popularity of the sport of cricket in Canada and provide Canadian players an international platform to showcase their talent. Securian Canada’s investment demonstrates its support for the advancement of cricket and becoming an important part of the lives of our existing fans and new fans we will create in the future.”
Twenty20 cricket is a format of the game introduced in 2003 that was specifically designed to be shorter and more in line with other professional sports. A Twenty20 game usually lasts between two to three hours, compared to test cricket’s seven-hour games and multi-day matches. Global T20 Canada held its first tournament in 2018.
Running through Aug. 6, the third edition of Global T20 Canada is taking place at TD Cricket Arena in Brampton. Global T20 Canada consists of six franchises: Toronto Nationals, Montreal Tigers, Vancouver Knights, Brampton Wolves, Mississauga Panthers and Surrey Jaguars.
The 2023 edition of the tournament follows the second edition in 2019, which drew 133 million viewers across 84 countries around the world.
Last month, CBC became the league’s official Canadian broadcast rightsholder. The network will be streaming all 25 league matches on CBC Gem, the CBC Sports app and the CBC Sports website. The championship final will air live on CBC and CBC Gem. Global T20 Canada is also being aired through seperate broadcast deals in India, Australia, U.K., South Africa, the Middle East and Caribbean.
