In January 2025, Barclays became the principal partner of Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), owners of Lord’s Cricket Ground. The commitment expands as Barclays joins London Spirit – The Hundred franchise based at Lord’s – as principal partner.
This partnership strengthens Barclays’ role across all levels of cricket at Lord’s, from elite competition to grassroots development. It also reflects the bank’s broader ambition to make sport accessible for everyone, building on its work in football and tennis.
Formed in 2019, London Spirit represents a new era for cricket, blending tradition with innovation to attract diverse audiences. As a brand rooted in heritage and progress, Barclays’ support alongside co-owners MCC and US investment group, Tech Titans will help drive the team’s growth and inclusivity.
London Spirit’s men’s and women’s teams play their home matches in The Hundred at Lord’s, the annual cricket tournament that takes place over 5 weeks every summer across the country. From established cricket fans and families to younger audiences watching a game for the first time, The Hundred’s unique entertainment value better connects with new audiences that haven’t had the opportunity to get involved with sport yet.
Barclays is committed to creating equal opportunities in sport for everyone. London Spirit supports its men’s and women’s teams equally, ensuring both sets of players experience the same high-level preparation, expertise and experience when playing, making this the perfect partnership as the two organisations work to create a more inclusive sporting environment for players and fans alike.
With the new sponsorship, Barclays will feature on the front of the London Spirit kit and merchandise for all matches as it strengthens its dedication to cricket at all levels, from grassroots to elite performance, as it has already shown across its football and tennis partnerships.
Beyond elite cricket, Barclays continues to invest in grassroots programmes. Recent initiatives include:
The Barclays Community Sport Fund – a £1.4m fund that supports grassroots sports. Since 2022, the fund has distributed over £4.4m of funding and helped more than 4,000 community groups to make sport more accessible.
One of the largest donations to the MCC Foundation which funds free coaching for state-educated children and is expected to benefit over 10,000 young people by 2028.
Barclays Knight-Stoke Cup – the first national hardball competition for state secondary schools with finals held at Lord’s, which has seen entries from one fifth of state secondary schools.
From championing MCC’s cultural legacy to backing London Spirit’s future, Barclays is helping shape a more inclusive game and inspiring the next generation of players and fans.
C.S Venkatakrishnan, Group Chief Executive of Barclays, said:
“This marks another milestone for Barclays as we expand our presence at Lord’s by becoming principal partner of London Spirit. We are proud to broaden and deepen the fan base of the game through our partnerships with the MCC Foundation and Lord’s, the world’s most iconic cricket ground.”
Julian Metherell, Chair of London Spirit said:
“I am delighted that Barclays will be partnering with London Spirit. The bank has substantial experience in sports partnerships – testified by their success in football and tennis – and has developed a great relationship with MCC and Lord’s that is further strengthened by this agreement.”
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