Cricket meets Culture: NC Cricket teams up with with NC Heritage festival
NORTHERN Cape Cricket (NCC) are making use of the team’s off season period to tackle the company’s revenue challenges by concluding deals that will take the pressure off the union’s books.
This week NCC president Gibson Molale took to the company’s social media page to announce that they have concluded a deal with the private managers of the Northern Cape Heritage Festival. The latter is active in the culture industry.
The agreement is primarily to the effect that the Northern Cape Heritage Festival will stage its culture events at the Diamond Oval over the next three years, with the deal ending in 2025.
NCC director of the Northern Cape Cricket Board and Cricket Services Committee chairperson Rizwan Engelbrecht explained the deal in detail.
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“The Northern Cape Cricket and Northern Cape Heritage Festival relationship started when (I as) director made contact with Dez Fransman from the Northern Cape Heritage Festival.
“The thinking from the Board of Directors was to open up the facilities to the events market to create a revenue stream that can help the company to reach a better financial position. The aim is to route the funds into both structural upgrades as well as programmes within the province.
"We have a world class facility only used for cricketing events in the past. So now we are tapping into a market that took a heavy dip due to the pandemic, which is events.
“After careful consideration, we as the board decided to take this route. A route that allows the company to start a free flowing revenue … as well as offering an events company a world class venue at an affordable rate.”
He added: “The board values a ‘win-win’ business relationship. We are currently in talks with more sponsors coming on-board for projects such as the fan park. We’re hoping to have it up before the Northern Cape Heritage Festival and possibly secure one of the biggest wine and cheese festivals in our province.”
Meanwhile, Molale said, “Retreat Wedding and Conference centre is also a family member now to Northern Cape Cricket after Engelbrecht and Linda van Vrede agreed to have NCC and Retreat in a long term joint-venture agreement.”
Acting NCC CEO Thapelo January said that this was an exciting scenario. “Having been a board member of the company for more than three years now, it was always a dream for me to see this company reach new heights. With the newly-elected board I see us getting there very fast.
“It’s deals and relationships like this that will bring back the glory days we all grew up knowing at the Oval,”
Molale added: “I have said this on many occasions. I am excited (about) the path we are taking as a company. We are playing attractive cricket and now making attractive partnerships. I have a team I trust and believe in and from what is evident the team is doing everything in the best interest of cricket in our province as well as in the best interest of the company.
“Yes, we as a board adopted what I call a challenge but this challenge we gladly accept. One year from now let’s come back and see what we pledged today on paper. Exciting times wait ahead.”
The deal is the second announced by the NCC management this month. Earlier on they had announced an administration repackaging deal with office automation company Itec.
Molale said the deal with Itec was expected to help the company save on big expenditures for office machinery and systems.