Crabbies agree to sponsor Grand National

CRABBIES, the alcoholic ginger beer makers who sponsor Scottish football side Hibernian, have struck a three-year deal to back the Grand National.
Crabbies will be the new sponsor for the Grand National for the next three years. Picture: APCrabbies will be the new sponsor for the Grand National for the next three years. Picture: AP
Crabbies will be the new sponsor for the Grand National for the next three years. Picture: AP

The deal will see Crabbies replace John Smith’s, who have sponsored the steeplechase since 2005.

The agreement has been hailed as “the perfect partnership” as race organisers revealed the deal would provide a £1 million purse for the first time.

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Race organisers The Jockey Club say that the partnership will allow the firm access to about 9 million television viewers and a worldwide audience of around 600 million.

Crabbies: Three-year Grand National deal. Picture: PACrabbies: Three-year Grand National deal. Picture: PA
Crabbies: Three-year Grand National deal. Picture: PA

The deal will give Crabbies naming rights for the three races taking place during the Grand National, which would be called the Crabbie’s Fox Hunters’ Chase, the Crabbie’s Topham Chase and the Crabbie’s Grand National.

Aside from Hibernian, Crabbies also have sponsorship deals in place with the National Television Awards, the British Comedy Awards and the Scottish Open.

Peter Eaton, deputy chairman of Halewood International, which owns Crabbies, said: ““It has always been the family’s ambition to sponsor the Grand National and we are very excited to have this opportunity.

“With the joint partnership of Crabbie’s, Aintree and The Jockey Club, it’s our aim to take the Grand National to another level.

The Grand National is a unique race with massive global reach and represents a perfect partnership for Crabbie’s and our UK and international ambitions.”

The next Grand National is scheduled to take place over three days, from Thursday 3 April to Saturday 5 April 2014.

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