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Utilita Bowl invests in Seat Unique as partnership extended

Featured Image: Mark Percy/CC BY-SA 2.0

Utilita Bowl cricket stadium has announced an investment in premium ticketing company Seat Unique as part of a new five-year deal between the partners.

Since 2020, Seat Unique has powered online premium and hospitality sales for domestic and international cricket at the 25,000-capacity stadium which serves as home of Hampshire Cricket. The venue will host its first-ever men’s Ashes Test match in 2027.

As a result of the partnership, Seat Unique is said to have increased Hampshire Cricket’s online hospitality sales by 65% last year with nearly a quarter of general admission buyers upgrading their tickets to premium.

As well as investing in the company, Utilita Bowl is set to introduce the Seat Unique Roof Terrace. This will be an exclusive new premium experience available for international cricket fixtures with space for up to 400 spectators.

“Having Hampshire Cricket now as both a partner and an investor in Seat Unique highlights the strength of our relationship, and the value that Hampshire and many of our other partners are seeing from our global distribution platform,” said founder and chief executive of Seat Unique Robin Sherry.

“By renewing and extending our partnership with Utilita Bowl, we can continue to drive premium and hospitality sales while delivering amazing experiences for cricket fans across the world.”

Partnership has evolved

The new deal comes at a key moment in Utilita Bowl’s history as it prepares to stage its first England versus Australia Test match in two years’ time.

Hospitality offerings will be available for Utilita Bowl’s 2025 season, which includes the Metro Bank One Day Cup, the Rothesay County Championship, Southern Brave fixtures in The Hundred, England men’s ODI match against South Africa, England men’s T20 fixture against West Indies and England women’s ODI versus India.

“Our partnership with Seat Unique has evolved considerably since 2020 and the spirit of innovation they have always held aligns with our values here at Utilita Bowl,” said Utilita Bowl head of sales and commercial partnerships Tom James.

“We are extremely excited about the next chapter in our journey together and the introduction of the Seat Unique Roof Terrace. We look forward to delivering enhanced fan experiences through Seat Unique for many years to come.”

In September last year, Hampshire Sport & Leisure Holdings Limited – owner of Hampshire Cricket and the Utilita Bowl site – agreed a takeover deal with GMR Global Pte Ltd (GGPL), the co-owner of Indian Premier League franchise Delhi Capitals. GGPL initially acquired a majority stake in the current ownership group, with the completed acquisition of 100% ownership expected in the next two years.

The move will see Hampshire become the first English county cricket team to be owned by an overseas franchise.