Essex Cricket announce partnership with Sporting Pay

Essex Cricket have announced the appointment of Sporting Pay as the Club’s new official Merchant Services Partner, delivering a new payment solution across areas of The Cloudfm County Ground.

The four-year agreement will see Sporting Pay provide the Club with state-of-the-art payment solutions, such as electronic point of sale terminals and contactless payment machines in the Membership and Ticketing Office, Essex Cricket Store and Commercial Department.

Darrell Fox, Essex Cricket Commercial Manager, said:

Sporting Pay are a global brand used by a number of sports stadia, including Lord’s and Edgbaston. It’s fantastic to be working with them for the next four years, given their expertise in providing bespoke payment solutions specifically for the sports industry.

 

This is another step forward in improving the customer experience for Members, supporters and visitors to Essex Cricket.

Chris Norminton, Sporting Pay Managing Director, said:

We are delighted to announce our partnership with Essex Cricket, it further embeds our support to the sport. By using the latest technology, we are able to ensure that Essex Cricket Members and fans have a better and more efficient experience at The Cloudfm County Ground.

 

As part of the partnership we are also looking forward to working with local businesses in and around the Essex area and are able to pass on the same low rates as Essex Cricket.

This is just the latest in a long line of premier sporting appointments for the company, with Hibernian FC and Rangers FC having also appointed Sporting Pay in recent weeks.

Hibernian FC announced their partnership with Sporting Pay only last week in an agreement that will undoubtedly enhance the matchday experience for supporters at Easter Road Stadium.

The four-year agreement – worth a substantial sum to the club – will make it easier and safer for fans to back the Hibees in person as soon as the club is back up and running.

A brand-new Electronic Point of Sale (EPOS) system will be put in place for Hibernian’s new-look kiosks and hospitality offerings, with the inner bowl of Easter Road to become a cashless stadium. Not only will that make buying pies and Bovril that bit quicker, but the move away from handling cash will reduce the transmission of germs at a time when we are all more conscious than ever of our health.

Providing the cleanest environment possible for supporters is a real priority for the club, underlined in its pledge to build on being The Greenest Club in Scotland earlier this year. This tie-up with Sporting Pay is the next step in that and in modernising your home for football in Edinburgh.

Greg McEwan, Head of Marketing and Brand Partnerships, Hibernian FC, said:

We have been continuing to look at ways of providing the fans the cleanest environment possible for when they return to Easter Road Stadium after this war against coronavirus and this fantastic partnership with Sporting Pay allows us to become a cashless stadium, which is a big step in the right direction by taking away the handling of cash, one of the biggest transmitters of germs. We are looking forward to working with Chris Norminton and the team at Sporting Pay and developing the fan experience at Easter Road.

Chris Norminton, added:

We are really looking forward to working in partnership with Hibernian and excited about the project of Easter Road becoming a cashless stadium, as we work with some of the largest stadiums in the UK we understand the importance of the fan experience and speed of service. Understanding your business and payment needs is essential at this current time and we are looking to work with local businesses in and around Edinburgh, who can all benefit from the same great rates as the club as part of the commercial partnership. We are also looking forward to entertaining local companies in hospitality whilst cheering on The Hibees.

Completing the trilogy, Sporting Pay was announced as Rangers’ Official Payments Partner back in the middle of March, in an agreement that will introduce cashless payment solutions throughout Ibrox Stadium.

Through the partnership, Sporting Pay will provide Ibrox Stadium with state-of-the-art payments solutions, including new EPOS terminals and contactless card payment machines to all Catering Kiosks and certain Hospitality Lounges. This will allow Rangers supporters attending Ibrox to pay for products using chip and PIN and contactless payment options for the first time.

James Bisgrove, Commercial & Marketing Director, Rangers FC said:

Sporting Pay’s technology will allow supporters to quickly and efficiently make card payments within the Stadium footprint enhancing the matchday experience and reducing queue times.

Click on the image below to read our interview with Rangers FC’s James Bisgrove, who will be sharing more details about Project 2022 and the evolution of Ibrox Stadium during the next edition of ALSD International, taking place at Liverpool FC’s Anfield Stadium this October 12-13.

Image of The Cloudfm County Ground, courtesy: Essex Cricket

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ALSD International – Europe’s leading event for the Premium Seat & Sports Hospitality sector – taking place at Liverpool FC’s Anfield Stadium this October, 12-13, will examine how to increase revenue through new builds, renovations, service expansions and the latest technology, and how to recoup lost revenue post COVID-19.

The next edition of ALSD International – organised and delivered by the Association of Luxury Suite Directors in conjunction with Sports Venue Business – will feature a high-level conference, an exhibition hall showcasing the latest products, services & solutions, behind-the-scenes tours of Anfield Stadium, Goodison Park and M&S Bank Arena, in addition to numerous networking events, ensuring optimised opportunities to knowledge-share, network and do business.

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#ALSD – Leading the Premium Seat sector for the last 30 years

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