Hong Kong Cricket Sixes cancelled for 2013

PRESS RELEASE

[Hong Kong, September 11, 2013]: The Hong Kong Cricket Association (HKCA) today announced "with great regret" the cancellation of the Hong Kong Cricket Sixes for 2013.

While the HKCA had examined various options to possibly scale back the tournament in 2013, it was decided that the established history and tradition of the Sixes remained the paramount concern.

HKCA remains committed to hosting the Cricket Sixes on an annual basis and are hopeful that the event can return to the local and international sporting calendar in 2014.

The Association cited a variety of reasons for the decision not to proceed with the event this October, but the primary concern was the difficulty in securing sufficient government funding and private sector backing in the difficult economic climate.

HKCA Executive Committee released their comment on the announcement saying:

"We apologise to the many local cricket fans and our many long-serving corporate supporters for whom this weekend has been a highlight of the local calendar for many years, but it was decided by the Executive Committee that it would be better to cancel rather than leave the association open to a potentially significant financial loss.

The rejection of the HKCA's request for Hong Kong SAR Government funding through the Mega Events Fund was a significant blow to the Association's plans to mount the tournament and made finding a corporate underwriter for the tournament a significantly more expensive proposition in 2013 with the resulting shortened timeframe to find a title sponsor further exacerbating matters.

HKCA understands the need to approach government, corporates and the international cricket boards as early as possible and so will very shortly start work on the 2014 event and will make every effort to return the Sixes to its rightful place in the International Calendar next year.

With Hong Kong being the 20th ranked team in world cricket and considering the Sixes' unique history and role as the showcase event for cricket in China and north Asia, we are still struggling to understand why we were rejected. But we remain thankful for the strong support we have received in years past from Government bodies like the Major Sports Executive Committee, LCSD, Home Affairs Bureau and the Hong Kong Police.

We will make a further approach to the Mega Events Fund for next year as we believe that the potential of the Cricket Sixes to enhance Hong Kong's position as a premier international sporting and tourism destination remains as strong as ever.

The Association will stay in close contact with the many existing corporate partners as well as the numerous companies who expressed interest in supporting the tournament this year to manage their expectations and rekindle their excitement for a bigger and better tournament in 2014."

Organized by the Hong Kong Cricket Association since 1992, the Hong Kong Cricket Sixes is the only international cricket event held in Hong Kong and is fully sanctioned by the world's governing body for cricket, the International Cricket Council.

The tournament has been broadcast live since 2008 and in 2012 reached over 127 million households on the Indian subcontinent, across Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Australia and South Africa, as well as being packaged for distribution in North America, the United Kingdom, Europe and China.

ENDS

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[2013年9月11日‧香港]：香港板球總會(HKCA)今日遺憾地宣佈「香港六人板球賽2013」將會取消。

香港板球總會縱使考慮各方因素和可行方案將賽事規模縮減以達致舉辦賽事最低要求，但在首要顧及保留賽事既有的歷史意義和傳統前提下，不得已宣佈取消原訂今年10月的賽事。香港板球總會致力舉辦這個一年一度的板球盛事，並希望這賽事能在2014年舉辦成功。

香港板球總會相信取消賽事的主要原因在於現時不明朗的經濟環境下，能從政府和商界籌募得足夠資金營運賽事是十分困難。

香港板球總會董事局對此無奈決定表示：「我們對本地板球迷和一眾長期合作的商界伙伴深表抱歉，因為這賽事多年來都是本地體壇亮點之一，希望各界體諒這艱難決定是權衡利弊下的最佳選擇，我們並不想舉辦一個對總會構成重大財政壓力甚至虧損的賽事。」

鑑於香港板球總會未能獲得「盛事基金」(Mega Event Fund)的資助，令今屆賽事需要從商界募集的資金大幅攀升和對舉辦賽事帶來巨大負面影響，而接獲有關通知與賽期相隔不遠，大大增加成功尋找商業支持的難度。

香港板球總會董事局說:「香港板球總會明白尋求政府、商界和其他國際板球總會的支持需要更充裕時間，因此我們將埋首籌備2014年賽事的工作，並全力將賽事重返明年國際賽期之一。」「香港現時世界排名第20位，而且『香港六人板球賽』的獨特性在中國和北亞地區具有藍本作用，我們不明所以為何今年的資助申請遭拒諸門外。但我們亦十分感激政府部門如 "M"品牌活動、康樂及文化事務署、民政事務局和香港警察等，去年對賽事的大力支持。」

香港板球總會董事局續道：「我們將努力爭取明年申請『盛事基金』的成功，並相信『香港六人板球賽』對加強香港作為國際體育和旅遊城市地位的潛能依然具有力作用。」「我們會與今年已表態支持賽事的商界保持緊密聯繫，繼續維繫他們期待明年更精彩賽事的熱情。」

有關「香港六人板球賽」

由香港板球總會於1992年首辦，「香港六人板球賽」是唯一在香港舉行的國際認可板球賽事。「香港六人板球賽」由全球板球運動管理組織 ─ 國際板球理事會授權。

賽事由2008年起開始直播，至2012年為止在印度次大陸、東南亞、中東、澳洲及南非已累積有1.27億家庭觀眾收看，而賽事片段亦在北美洲、英國、歐洲及中國發行。

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