The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is reportedly set to renew the Hundred’s sponsorship deal with KP Snacks, despite one of the company’s adverts being banned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and an impending ban on junk food advertising.
Discussions between the ECB and KP Snacks are at an advanced stage for a four-year extension. This deal would continue promoting brands like Hula Hoops, McCoy’s, Tyrells, and Butterkist on players’ shirts, with terms similar to the original five-year contract, which was valued at approximately £4 million.
Although Hundred games are scheduled to appeal to families with afternoon and evening start times, the new sponsorship will not be impacted by the upcoming pre-9pm junk food advertising ban, effective next October. A legislative loophole allows fast food and snack advertising before the watershed as long as the products themselves are not shown.
The ECB has faced criticism from health campaigners and MPs since the initial sponsorship deal with KP Snacks was announced in 2019, six months before the Hundred’s planned launch, later delayed to 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite the backlash, the competition was specifically designed to attract children and families, with research after its first season in 2021 revealing that 19% of tickets were sold to children and 55% of ticket buyers were new to cricket.
The timing of the sponsorship renewal is commercially advantageous for the ECB, which is in the process of auctioning a 49% stake in the eight Hundred franchises. The second phase of the three-part bidding process concluded on Monday, with Indian Premier League franchise owners and American sports investors, including the Ambani family and Knighthead Capital, leading the bids. The ECB aims to raise £400 million for the sport through this auction.
However, renewing the deal with KP Snacks is expected to draw criticism due to the Hundred’s focus on a family audience. According to The Guardian, a spokesperson for the Obesity Health Alliance previously condemned such sponsorships, stating, “Junk food brands sponsoring sporting events is just another way they make sure their unhealthy products take centre stage in children’s minds.”
The ASA banned a 2022 advertising campaign by KP Snacks and the Hundred for targeting children with junk food promotions. An ECB email featuring the McCoy’s logo offered children a free bat and ball, violating the advertising code. The ASA received two complaints, leading to the ECB apologizing for an “internal error” in sending the email to under-16s.
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Name of Author: Cricexec Staff
