New Zealand's premier Twenty20 cricket competition has a new name, new sponsor and new format.
With McDonald’s iconic New Zealand brand Georgie Pie on board, the Georgie Pie Super Smash will be an epic festival of Twenty20 matches, climaxing in a Finals weekend that's bigger than ever before. The Georgie Pie Super Smash will include:
- Six festival weekends at venues with lights, featuring a Friday night match, and double headers on Saturdays and Sundays for a full day's entertainment, starting at family-friendly times
- A feast of televised cricket with 27 games live on SKY Sport, including 17 night matches
- An expanded three-game Finals weekend format gives the top two qualifying teams an extra Finals life. The weekend is set for neutral venue at Hamilton's Seddon Park between 5 and 7 December
- Improved at-ground entertainment including a bigger kids areas, the Zing stumps, trade show elements, as well as working with venues to offer new food and beverage options
"We're really looking forward to bringing some Twenty20 noise and hype to the fans – there will be a lot more happening in the lead up to and at games, whether you're watching at the ground or on television," says New Zealand Cricket's General Manager Domestic Cricket David Cooper. "Innovating and upping the entertainment factor was one of the key outcomes of our Domestic Cricket Review, and we've got a few things in store that will reinvigorate this competition."
McDonald’s director of marketing Chris Brown said “We’re delighted to have Georgie Pie associated with New Zealand’s most popular summer sport. With the new format of the Georgie Pie Super Smash, McDonald’s restaurants will play a role in helping get Kiwi families along to the games, and enjoying the spectacle”.
Georgie Pie Super Smash is designed to both maximise TV viewers, and offer a unique experience for fans at the grounds. In a new innovation, the six festival weekends offer fans the opportunity to catch up to five games at a single venue, with offers tailored to make the weekend extremely affordable and highly entertaining.
Saturday and Sunday double headers will have a short gap between games to keep the entertainment rolling, with home teams playing afternoon matches at family-friendly start times to entertain fans all afternoon and into the evening.
Full schedule on blackcaps.co.nz [now updated with match start times]
The competition runs from 1 November to 7 December uninterrupted, the early start to the Twenty20 season will challenge groundstaff to prepare grounds after winter sports.
NZC acknowledge and thank the venues that are turning around from the rugby season in a very short space of time to host matches in a busy year for cricket.
The competition runs from 1 November to 7 December uninterrupted. Every match of the 2014-15 domestic season will be live-scored on www.blackcaps.co.nz and the Major Association websites.
