ABU DHABI CRICKET & SPORTS HUB PARTNERS NEW ZEALAND RUGBY TO LAUNCH ‘ABU DHABI SMALL BLACKS’ JUNIOR CLUB

news editor — Thu, 25 Aug 2022 17:59:05 +0000

Thursday, 25 August – Abu Dhabi: New Zealand Rugby’s (NZR) famed Small Blacks brand is going global with the Abu Dhabi Cricket & Sports Hub (ADCSH) in the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) becoming the historic first international home of the acclaimed junior coaching resource.

Small Blacks Abu Dhabi will launch this month becoming NZR’s only officially licensed grassroots development programme outside of New Zealand. Girls and boys between three to 16 years will be able to become Small Blacks Abu Dhabi members, with no previous rugby experience needed to enrol in any age group.

Abu Dhabi Cricket & Sports Hub CEO Matt Boucher said: “We couldn’t be prouder that New Zealand Rugby has entrusted us with the Small Blacks’ first international out-post and look forward to building on our existing relationship to establish a longer-term partnership between us.

“At Abu Dhabi Cricket & Sports Hub we look to partner Abu Dhabi Sports Council and the world’s premium rights holders to host international sport in the UAE capital, while providing a world-class community-focused facility for a growing customer base of 760,000 annually who play the 35 sports that we offer.

“The All Blacks are the standard bearers for international rugby and one of the most recognisable brands in world sport. We share their inherent values of integrity, teamwork, and community enhancement. This historic partnership demonstrates the hub’s deep commitment to providing exceptional sporting opportunities to our community and to ensuring Abu Dhabi’s name resonates with the world’s greatest sporting brands and aspiring talent.”

NZR General Manager Community Rugby Steve Lancaster added: “The Small Blacks brand has been developed over more than 20 years with thousands of Kiwi kids and coaches having fun participating in rugby and developing their skills, including numerous All Blacks and Black Ferns. When we got the chance to share the Small Blacks experience with young boys and girls in the UAE we couldn’t wait to get started.”

Through the Small Blacks, NZR has carefully curated a participation-based community programme, with an overarching philosophy that the game must be safe and enjoyable for all.

Small Blacks Abu Dhabi will use this blueprint to engage and educate children across the region, allowing young players the opportunity to develop a wide range of skills as they progress through the age groups, with skill development and stringent safety measures a major focus for the coaches.

Once launched, Small Blacks Abu Dhabi will formally absorb Abu Dhabi Cricket & Sports Hub’s 10-month- old rugby product, with 245 boys and girls being led by 12 World Rugby-certified coaches under the direction of New Zealand-born Aaron Persico, who represented Italy 56 times and played at the 2003 Rugby World Cup.

Small Blacks Abu Dhabi will participate in regional tournaments and UAERF rugby fixtures across the season, which runs from 5 September 2022 to 6 May 2023. Seasonal prices are AED 1,450 (U4-U8) and AED 1,950 (U9-U16), additional indoor and outdoor specialized skills camps will run throughout the season to keep rugby running all-year round.

Players can enrol today and interested parents can contact 0507201278 and log on to www.smallblacksabudhabi.com to get involved and find out more information about family membership options.

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CWI unveils FanCraze and Crictos.com as new partners of the West Indies Test team and CWI’s new NFT programme

news editor — Wed, 09 Mar 2022 15:43:19 +0000

ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Cricket West Indies (CWI) has today announced FanCraze and their Crictos.com digital collectibles programme as new partners of the West Indies Test team and of CWI. The Crictos.com branding will appear on the playing shirts of the West Indies Men’s Team throughout the Apex Test Series between the West Indies and England which starts today, Tuesday March 8, at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua.

CWI and FanCraze have signed a multi-year partnership to develop an NFT programme and metaverse products featuring the West Indies players and archive. Crictos launched in 2021 as the digital collectibles programme partner of the International Cricket Council (ICC). The partnership signifies the start of developing the official digital collectibles for the West Indies teams featuring current players and key archive moments. This will give West Indies fans all around the world the chance to own pieces of West Indies cricketing history through innovative blockchain technology, which will also provide more opportunities for digital trading cards, games and experiences based on the West Indies men’s and women’s players.

In addition to the Test shirt, the long-term partnership will see FanCraze branding, links and communication appear on key pitch and broadcast assets for West Indies home internationals and throughout CWI’s social and website fan platforms.

“We are excited to welcome FanCraze as a new partner for Cricket West Indies and the West Indies teams, especially with Fancraze’s Crictos NFT branding to appear on the West Indies Test shirt for the forthcoming Apex Series,” said CWI’s Commercial Director, Dominic Warne. “This partnership goes far beyond the pitch and will see CWI and Fancraze combine to build archive and trading card NFT products using leading blockchain technology and take West Indies cricket into the fast-developing metaverse. Not only will the partnership create the chance for fans around the world to own famous pieces of our amazing West Indies cricket history, it will provide significant investment into cricket in the Caribbean and contribute to the players’ pool for years to come.”

Anshum Bhambri, CEO of FanCraze remarked: “We are very proud to partner with Cricket West Indies and bring to life NFTs representing the most passionate and naturally-gifted cricketers the world has ever seen. NFTs are fast becoming a movement and are enabling a direct relationship between all types of IP owners and their fans. NFTs represent culture and there is no better team than the West Indies to take cricket into the metaverse. FanCraze is building an experience that would enable fans to collect CWI digital assets, engage with play-to-earn games and utilities, and own digital land.”

The Apex Test Series is being contested for the newly-minted Richards-Botham trophy, which was officially unveiled on Sunday by icons Sir Vivian Richards and Lord Ian Botham. The series bowls off on March 8-12 in Antigua. The second Apex Test will be played at Kensington Oval, Barbados from March 16-20, with the climax in the third Apex Test at the Grenada National Stadium, Grenada on March 24-28.

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ABU DHABI CRICKET & SPORTS HUB PARTNERS NEW ZEALAND RUGBY TO LAUNCH ‘ABU DHABI SMALL BLACKS’ JUNIOR CLUB

CWI unveils FanCraze and Crictos.com as new partners of the West Indies Test team and CWI’s new NFT programme