Hendy Extends Hampshire Cricket Sponsorship: What This Means For The Car Dealer

Hendy Group Continues Long-Standing Cricket Partnership

South coast automotive retailer Hendy has confirmed the extension of its sponsorship agreement with Hampshire Cricket, marking the 15th year of their successful partnership. The car dealer group, which first partnered with the Utilita Bowl side in 2012, will continue as an 'Official Supporter' of the cricket outfit through the 2026 and 2027 seasons.

Enhanced Sponsorship Package for 2026

The renewed agreement represents a significant development in the long-running collaboration. For the 2026 season, Hendy will receive a 'permanent activation space' on the concourse of the international standard stadium, allowing their staff to engage directly with cricket fans throughout the Vitality Blast T20 competition.

This enhanced sponsorship package includes prominent branding opportunities with the Hendy logo appearing on both the men's and women's team shirts, as well as extensive visibility around the Utilita Bowl stadium. Cricket supporters attending matches will have the opportunity to participate in giveaways and explore vehicle displays and brand experiences throughout the season.

Strategic Local Marketing Commitment

Paul Smith, Marketing Director at Hendy, emphasised the importance of this partnership to the dealer group's local presence: "The extension of this long-standing collaboration reflects the strength of our relationship with Hampshire Cricket and Utilita Bowl. It is an important part of our presence in the local area, and extending it allows us to build on that over the next two seasons, both at matches and through a number of exciting new activations."

Mutual Benefits For Both Organisations

Rob Paddon, Commercial Director at Hampshire Cricket & Utilita Bowl, highlighted the value of the continuing partnership: "Hendy Group has been a trusted and valued partner of Hampshire Cricket for many years, and we are delighted to continue that relationship into 2026. The team at Hendy share our commitment to delivering great experiences for our supporters, and their enhanced activation this summer will add even more energy to our matchdays."

The sponsorship extension comes amid recent reports that Hendy had missed its annual accounting filing date by more than a week, with results remaining overdue at the time of the original announcement. Late filings at Companies House typically incur fines ranging from £150 to £1,500, though the company stated that their results would be published "imminently."

Despite these administrative delays, the commitment to sports sponsorship demonstrates Hendy's continued investment in community engagement and brand visibility across the south coast region, maintaining one of the longest-running partnerships between an automotive retailer and a county cricket club in the UK.