Where the sun always shinesThe next stage in the phenomenal growth of Cricket as a global sport!
Background
Since the introduction of White Ball Cricket all over the World in the format of T20, followed by T10 & the more recent Hundred format, the popularity of Cricket has multiplied in both participation, sponsorship & spectatorship.
This is nowhere more so than in Europe, where 35 Countries now compete on a regular basis with all formats throughout most of the year.
Other than England & Wales, where there are 5,000+ clubs, the game’s popularity has seen the number of clubs grow to over 3,000 across mainland Europe.
Since 2018 The European Cricket Network have run a pan European competition throughout the year across all 35 European countries, culminating in 2 finals events, both over 5 weeks, held in Southern Spain. These games are all streamed live to TV & around the world in over 120 countries in more than 140 million households by over 40 broadcasters.
The current club and national finals venue, Cartama Oval has recently been sold and is being redesigned as a football training facility and the ECN are actively looking for a new venue to host not only the European National Finals but also the European Club Finals & the European National and Club Ladies and Finals events.
Southern Spain is still their preferred venue, as it provides 325 days of Sunshine per year.
We propose to create a stand-alone European Cricket & Sports Academy on a 90,000 square meter plot, with 3 Ovals, practice nets, 6 Football/Rugby Pitches and accommodation for 120 people.
The Numbers
Ideally located in an area with the best climate in Europe & with easy & quick access to 4 International Airports (Seville/Jerez/Gibraltar & Malaga), teams will be able to come to practice or play on one of the 3 ovals at any time of year.
The Academy will offer an affordable alternative for teams to play & practice outside of their normal limited season.
Training & practice will also be offered to the younger generation at the Academy, to encourage new up & coming Cricketers from all Countries & to the local & surrounding communities, with the aid of the Junta de Andalucia.
The site currently has a Hotel, which when developed will have a capacity to host 120 guests at any one time & we believe that many groups will be hosted on a full board basis.
The 2024 average room rate in Spain was €121.50 per night offering a potential to generate €2,500,000+ per year from accommodation alone.
The Bar & Restaurant, as well as accommodation will be open & available to the public as well.
The 3 Ovals will be available to hire 365 days a year, on an hourly basis & will be open for 9 to 12 hours in Winter & 12 to 15 hours in Summer.
It is expected that the facility will prove very popular with English Professional Cricketing sides & County teams preparing for their seasons with pre-season training camps.
The Site
The proposed site sits on flat land of 90,000m2 & is next to a reservoir, will have 3 Cricket Ovals in total, one being the largest in the World with an outfield length of 162m & a width of 140m.
The 2nd oval will have a 140m diameter & the 3rd will have 120m diameter.
Several practice nets will also be available to teams. There is an existing small hotel which we plan to expand to accommodate 120 guests.
In addition to the 3 independent Cricket Ovals, thanks to the huge expanse of flat quality sports grass with over 70,000m2 in total, the Academy will be also available for all types of sport that are played on grass. This includes Football, Rugby, Baseball & Athletic Track events, to name but a few. There is plenty of room to accommodate 6 full size Football/Rugby pitches without encroaching onto the Hybrid Wickets on the 3 Cricket Ovals. A full size 400m Athletic Running Track will also easily fit without any problem. Therefore, an out-of-season Training Facility in the Sunshine for all types of sport.
The Land & Hotel is currently for sale for €700,000 and we expect the total cost including purchase price of the current land and buildings once developed will be €2,000,000 to €2,500,000. The Proposed site can also be used as a venue for other events such as Weddings & Corporate gatherings.
It is worth repeating that this area deliver 325 days of Sunshine per year & as such represents a huge opportunity to deliver all year round cricket.
( Click to view a larger image )
The Returns
Based on a 50% occupancy, we believe the accommodation alone has the potential to deliver €1,250,000 per year. With the nearby towns of Bornos & Villamartin boasting a combined population of approximately 20,000, the venue will be seen as a benefit to the local community, proving a boost in both income as well as employment opportunity.
With 50% occupancy on a full board basis, we believe this figure will increase to €2,500,000 per year.
Cricket is a growing sport and with more and more events being streamed live around the world, sponsorship and advertising revenues into all markets are available.
The European Cricket Network is now firmly established across the European Continent, opening up further revenue streams to any investor.
Southern Spain delivers the #1 climate on the continent, with 325 days of Sunshine per year.
Perfect for Cricket and all Grass Sports!
The site is beside a large reservoir, delivering ample water supplies to keep the all 3 ovals in pristine condition.
Currently the ECN, The National County Cricket Association in the UK, as well as Darren Gough have expressed interest in using the facility all year round.
Thank you for your time. We hope to discuss this fantastic opportunity with you further in the very near future.