7:23 am, January 21, 2023
Crisis-hit used car retailer Cazoo will not be renewing its sponsorship of The Hundred as the firm continues to battle financial difficulties, it has been confirmed.
The troubled firm agreed a lucrative multi-year deal to sponsor the controversial cricket tournament from 2021 but the partnership will now end after two seasons.
The agreement saw Cazoo made principle partner of the 100-ball competition with branding featured in stadia, on players’ shirt sleeves and across digital platforms.
Since then, both The Hundred and Cazoo have failed to become profitable and the retailer has decided against renewing the deal.
Confirming the news, a spokesman for the England and Wales Cricket Board, which owns The Hundred, said: ‘We thank Cazoo for their great support over the first two years of The Hundred.
‘We are really proud of the variety of partners who have helped establish The Hundred and throw cricket’s doors open.
‘We look forward to announcing more new partnerships as we get closer to the third year of the competition.’
The news comes as Cazoo battles crippling financial losses with founder Alex Chesterman announcing his intention to step down as CEO earlier this week.
Later that same day a leaked all-hands Cazoo staff call revealed 15 used car sites could close as cuts were laid bare.
Similar to Cazoo, The Hundred launched to huge fanfare a few years ago but has failed to capture the imagination of a large section of its target audience.
Several cricket fans have accused it of disrespecting traditional forms of the game in a way that mirrors the used car industry’s view of Cazoo.
You can read more about the the history of Cazoo here.
Main image: PA
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