Stanford

PORT-OF-SPAIN:

A MAJOR row is brewing on West Indian cricket's sponsorship front.

Digicel, the principal sponsor of West Indies cricket, believes the arrangement reached between Sir Allen Stanford and the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) for the US$20 million showdown between England and the Stanford Super-stars in November contravenes its exclusive rights agreement with the board.

In a statement released to the media earlier this month, Digicel said: "The WICB has recently entered into a separate agreement with a third party, which wholly compromises the exclusive rights granted to Digicel as principal sponsor of West Indies cricket.

"Digicel has been involved in intensive negotiations and communications with the WICB in an effort to resolve this situation. Unfortunately Digicel's considerable efforts in this regard have not resolved this situation."

Dispute referred

It continued: "As such, Digicel has been left with no option but to refer the matter to a formal dispute resolution process as provided for in the sponsorship agreement with the WICB.

"Digicel has taken this step in order to protect the valuable rights which are enshrined in the sponsorship agreement entered into with the WICB."

However, Stanford on Monday night went on to the front foot and basically stated his match was none of Digicel's business.

"We entered into an agreement with the WICB and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB)," Stanford said to a cluster of media after the presentation ceremony for the victorious Trinidad and Tobago side. "It was with the clear under-standing that Stanford 20/20 had the sole rights to marketing, branding and TV etc. There were no restrictions placed on this.

Encourage digicel

"Digicel has a deal with the WICB and the board has the West Indies team," he said. "We have the Superstars team which was selected by seven of the legends here, not by the WICB's selectors. I encourage Digicel, I encourage everybody, to work with us to make this a success.

"If Digicel or anybody else wants to throw a roadblock in this for any reason, based on the amount of money I am putting out - which is more than Digicel or anybody else has put out - they don't have the future of West Indies cricket in their heart and soul; and that's enough said there," Stanford said.