Cricket West Indies Eyes North American Sponsors
Chief executive Chris Dehring is pursuing partnerships in North America as the governing body restructures after revealing major financial challenges.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Advertising
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Cricket West Indies, facing financial strain that prompted salary cuts and the scrapping of several annual competitions, is seeking corporate backing in North America. Chief executive Chris Dehring is pursuing that market to increase the body's revenues.
Why it matters
Advertising in the Caribbean on television and radio has declined for several years, and smaller regional markets limit large corporate sponsorship of cricket. Partnerships abroad could open access to greater funding than the home region can currently provide.
Cricket West Indies cites a US$4 million cost for its Super 50 tournament and a broadcast series costing US$4 to 5 million to produce, while a Sri Lanka broadcast generated only about US$200,000. The total value of any prospective North American deal has not been disclosed.
The players
Cricket West Indies
The governing body for cricket in the West Indies, responsible for the region's international and domestic competitions.
Chris Dehring
The chief executive of Cricket West Indies, who is leading the push to secure North American market partnerships.
The details
Cricket West Indies revealed major financial challenges in September and has since cut salaries for international and domestic players and scrapped several annual competitions. The body is pursuing Canadian corporate partners through its Global T20 (Canada) property, collaborating with Cricket Canada on its T20 franchise tournament, and is in talks with Caribbean companies seeking entry into that market.
Timeline
September: Cricket West Indies publicly revealed its major financial challenges.
Market Landscape
Caribbean companies face smaller target markets, which restricts large corporate sponsorship of cricket, while many firms have shifted spending from traditional broadcast advertising toward social media. Cricket West Indies' turn to North America reflects that broader pressure on regional sports sponsorship.
Fans of West Indies cricket may see changes to how matches are sponsored and broadcast as the body seeks new funding sources. Reduced competitions and salary cuts could also affect the availability of domestic and international fixtures.
The takeaway
Sports organizations dependent on regional sponsors may need to diversify their revenue sources beyond their home markets. Cricket West Indies' North American push shows how financial pressure can shift a sport's commercial strategy.
Further reading
For more on how brands are reaching audiences, see the Advertising section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Jamaica Observer.
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