Rival alcohol brand to replace VB as cricket sponsor

Cricket Australia will replace Victoria Bitter with another drinks industry sponsor despite calls from the Royal Australasian College of Physicians to end the relationship between alcohol and sport. 

It was revealed last week that CUB had ended its 20-year partnership between VB and Cricket Australia. While Qantas replaced VB as the sponsor of the Test team late last year, it was still the One Day International team sponsor and also sponsored the domestic cricket series.

A spokesperson for Cricket Australia told Mumbrella an announcement on a new sponsor would be made in coming weeks and that it would be an alcohol company.

Mumbrella noted: "The juxtaposition of sport and alcohol sponsorship remains a challenge for marketers and sporting codes with health advocates fighting for an end to sports sponsorship by beer, wine and spirit brands."

The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) told the ABC that Cricket Australia should take the opportunity to find a non-alcohol sponsor.

“We’re delighted to hear that CUB have ended their VB sponsorship with cricket,” Sarah Dalton, president of the RACP’s pediatric division, said. “So this is a great opportunity to look at alternatives, and there are lots of alternatives. Ultimately, we really need to give the message to our children that sport is about being healthy.

“I would really like to see that alcohol is not on the t-shirts of our players. I think it’s an issue that someone who is a hero in all our eyes, Michael Clarke, wears an alcohol brand on his t-shirt.”

A spokesman for CUB told The Guardian that the decision was “purely commercial” so it could focus on more direct advertising during summer across its portfolio.

“CUB has made a commercial decision to focus on more direct advertising during summer across our broad portfolio,” he said. “CUB will maintain its strong and long-term sponsorship arrangements with Australian sport, including the AFL and NRL.”