COLOMBO: Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) on Tuesday launched its ‘Merchandise Arm’, which will be responsible to sell all SLC-branded sporting accessories, apparels and other related sport merchandise items.
The arm has a two-fold strategy both offline and online. The offline strategy will focus on in-ground selling of merchandise items during live matches in Sri Lanka, while the online platform will focus on selling the same to fans across the globe and the service will be launched soon. The in-ground merchandise stall will continue throughout the ongoing England tour at match venues and has a merchandise collection, which is specially designed covering the event.
However, in another development, SLC has rescinded its contract with Classic Destinations Private Limited, its hospitality partner for the England tour. The board claims that the company had failed to obtain the relevant license to sell alcohol in the corporate boxes at the R Premadasa Stadium in the city, where the fifth ODI between Sri Lanka and England was being played.
The malpractice was found out during a mid-match raid by tax authorities, which also declared that the company was selling hospitality packages featuring food and drinks for 20,500 Sri Lankan rupees ($120), which the British media described as a ‘rip off’ according to an AFP report.
As a result, Sri Lanka Cricket has taken the responsibility upon itself to be in charge of all hospitality related issues for the upcoming Test series between the two nations.
