England And Wales Cricket Board's Yorkshire Tea Deal Leaves Sour Taste In Lancashire

The news that the England and Wales Cricket Board agreed to a contract to make Yorkshire Tea an "official brew partner" has left "the good folk of Lancashire stewing," according to Rod Gilmour of the London TELEGRAPH. Lancashire is home to rival Lancashire Tea. When asked whether Old Trafford would be selling tea at Test matches, a club spokesperson said: "Of course we will be selling Yorkshire Tea, but we would expect sales of coffee to go through the roof as a consequence." The deal will run through Oct. '15 and includes "TV advertising, social media and on-pack promotion." Additionally, Yorkshire Tea's three-year rights "focus on a period of play" -- starting at 3:40pm each Test match day -- when the players are off the field. This is "unchartered waters as far as the ever-expanding world of sports sponsorship is concerned" (TELEGRAPH, 2/5).