Durham Cricket have been shortlisted for two awards at the prestigious Business of Cricket Awards (BOCA).
The annual awards which are held at Lord’s Cricket ground on Thursday 13 November, recognise and reward First Class Counties and MCC personnel who work tirelessly to show influence, insight, and innovation, taking the experience of cricket for its fans beyond.
Durham Cricket have been shortlisted in the Transforming the Women’s Game and Sponsorship of the Year awards – with the winners being announced next month.
Transforming the Women’s Game
In 2025, we used the power of our newly established Tier 1 professional women’s cricket team to drive significant growth in participation, viewership, and engagement with women’s cricket across the region. From a standing start, we built a strong digital presence, developed meaningful partnerships, and delivered a wide-reaching community engagement programme that inspired thousands.
Our strategic approach centred around making the team visible, accessible, and relatable. Through social media, school roadshows, training sessions at local landmarks, and cross-sport collaborations, we connected with over 2,000 children and welcomed more than 5,000 spectators to our first season of women’s T20 Blast. Participation in women’s and girls’ cricket increased substantially, with fixtures rising from 275 to 411 and over 1,000 girls now involved in regional teams.
We also created the Women’s Cricket Network (WCN), providing exclusive access, webinars, and events for over 330 members, while partnering with the charity CoppaFeel! to raise awareness and £4,000 for a vital cause.
We’ve established a team the region can be proud of, one that not only represents elite women’s cricket but serves as a catalyst for long-term growth and inclusion. This initiative has laid a strong foundation for a sustainable and inspiring future for women’s cricket.
Sponsorship of the Year
In 2025, Durham Cricket entered a transformative chapter in its history. For the first time ever, the club was awarded a Tier 1 professional women’s team, a significant milestone not only for the club, but for the region as a whole. This marked a pivotal moment for women’s cricket in the North East and provided a platform to inspire a new generation of female athletes.
The partnership between Durham Cricket and Visit County Durham’s “Durham Story” exemplifies the power of true alignment in sponsorship. In 2025, as Durham Cricket launched its first-ever Tier 1 professional women’s team, Visit County Durham was introducing the Durham Story place brand—both representing bold new chapters for the region. This shared moment of transformation created a perfect platform for collaboration.
Durham Story became the first exclusive sponsor of the women’s team, providing essential funding for its crucial first two years and helping establish a sustainable future for women’s cricket in the North East. In return, Durham Cricket offered a high-profile platform to amplify the Durham Story across national and international audiences.
The partnership was activated through branded kits, live-streamed matches, international pitch branding, and joint promotional campaigns, all of which reinforced the message of ambition, equality, and local pride. Results included increased awareness of both brands, an increase in female participation, and an uplift in brand recognition for the Durham Story.
This sponsorship not only helped launch and sustain a women’s team—it strengthened the identity of a county committed to progress. It stands as a model of how aligned values can drive real, lasting impact.