SLC on cloud nine with Rs. 1.3 billion bonanza
View(s):-Dialog and Tea Board team up as sponsors
-Ashley de Silva to take over as CEO, SLC
-Minister to announce committee’s findings this week
By S. R. Pathiravithana
Sri Lanka Cricket, which was once writhing with a huge hole in its pocket, can now bid adieu to all its financial woes. It has now clinched its biggest local deal in cricket history with telecom service provider Dialog and the Sri Lanka Tea Board joining hands for a three-year deal, which will bring the beleaguered organisation a cool Rs. 1300 million.In comparison to the existing Mobitel deal, which amounted to Rs. 550 million for three years, the new deal is indeed a significant increase. Now it will bring the cricket administration a yearly sum of Rs. 420 million as opposed to the Rs. 125 million that it previously yielded.
During the next three years, Dialog will get precedence during the Lankan team’s local engagements with its logo being displayed on the chest area of playing kits, while the Tea Board logo will be rest on the shoulder region. While playing abroad the two logos will change places.
Initially, mobile phone operator Dialog Axiata made the highest bid at Rs. 1.077 billion (US$ 8.5 million), while the Sri Lanka Tea Board came up with an offer of about Rs. 850 million.
However, the SLC team worked out a deal that was agreeable to both bidders and offered lucrative discounts to them. The result: both these companies will enter into the team sponsorship deal for a combined price of Rs 1300 million for the next three years.
The current sponsorship deal for both the men’s and women’s teams was awarded to Mobitel in 2009, and was worth US$ 4.85 million. Mobitel did not make a bid to renew its sponsorship. 
SLC, which is recovering from its $70 million dollar debt accrued after the 2011 World Cup, will now be in a greater balance financially.
Meanwhile, the controversy over the SLC presidency issue continues with the Attorney General’s Department advising the Minister of Sports to do what he feels is right and to announce his decision on the matter. It is learned that the AG has advised the minister that it was not right on his part to give an opinion on the matter because it is the AG’s Department which will have to represent the Sports Minister and Sports Ministry interests if the matter goes to court.
The Minister at present is abroad attending a Commonwealth meeting and will be back in the island tomorrow. He is scheduled to announce the findings of the committee that was appointed by him to probe the eligibility of the three candidates – Upali Dharmadasa, Thilanga Sumathipala and Sumith Perera. Stepping away from the dampening news on the SLC AGM; Josephians will shortly have several reasons to celebrate. Besides the incumbent captain, Angelo Mathew, having registered his first series win, on April 1 the first Josephian to represent the school in Test cricket, Ashley de Silva, will take up his new appointment at the SLC as its new Chief Executive Officer.
While de Silva moves from the Director Cricket Operations position another old Joe, Carlton Bernadus, will take over as the new Director Cricket Operations on the same day.
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