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International Cricket

Organisers of the Stanford Super Series dismissed suggestions that the event could be under threat due to a sponsorship row.

Telecoms company Digicel, who are the official sponsors of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), claim they have branding rights for the match between a Stanford Super Stars XI and England on November 1.

The organisers disagree, and weeks of talks between the parties reached a stalemate at the weekend when Digicel rejected a compromise plan put forward by Stanford 20/20 and released a statement claiming the organisers refused to enter into further negotiations.

A statement released on Monday read: "Stanford 20/20 is disappointed, though not surprised by Digicel's latest press release of September 21st 2008 relating to its dispute with the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) arising from the Stanford Super Series.

"Whilst Stanford 20/20 is frustrated by Digicel's behaviour, it is nothing more than an unwelcome distraction and Stanford 20/20 will not be derailed from moving ahead with preparations for a successful Stanford Super Series."

The sticking point of the issue is whether Digicel, who extended their sponsorship deal with the WICB until 2012 in July, maintain branding rights for the game.

The match has been officially recognised by the WICB - a necessary step in order to earn the backing of the International Cricket Council (ICC) - and Digicel insist their sponsorship deal should therefore come into effect.

The Stanford organisers disagree, saying that because their side is not an official West Indies team, Digicel's agreement should not come into play.

The matter has already gone before the High Court in London where Digicel last month won an injunction against the Stanford organisers to hold the event.

With that in mind both parties have stated their preference to find a resolution to the matter to ensure the game goes ahead.

Last week Digicel made the first moves in that process when they tendered a three-point offer to the Stanford organisers in order to find a resolution.

The points of that request included that no telecoms company would be involved in the event; that the Stanford organisers would pay for all their legal costs and finally that the Stanford team wear West Indies kits in the game against England with the Digicel brand remaining in its current form and size.

The final point has proven the key issue with the Stanford organisers agreeing to the first two requests in their counter-offer.

On the final request the Stanford organisers have said they will give Digicel some branding rights free of charge.

Earlier on Monday, a Stanford spokesman told PA Sport: "There are three key points and we have met them on two of them and on the third we have gone more than halfway to meet their demands.

"We have offered them 14 prime location perimeter boards around the ground, also the branding on the bowler's run ups, advertisements on the big screen during the game as well as adverts in the series programme. This was all free of charge.

"Digicel rejected that. They have demanded that their logo appears on the Stanford Super Stars shirt in the same way they appear on the West Indies shirts.

"The sticking point is they want that at no extra cost. We are not happy to do that."

The statement continued: "Digicel has contended repeatedly in the media that it already owns the right for the Digicel logo to appear on the Stanford Superstars jersey and that it has already paid for such right.

"In fact, such claims go way beyond any rights Digicel has in its contract with WICB and, so far as Stanford 20/20 is aware, Digicel has not made any similar claims in its court proceedings against WICB.

"Stanford 20/20's counter-offer addressed all of Digicel's legitimate rights under its agreement with WICB and so Stanford 20/20 is mystified as to why Digicel publicly continues to demand more.

"Stanford 20/20 suspects that such claims are in fact a barely concealed attempt to create media pressure upon Stanford 20/20 in order that Digicel can achieve some commercial advantage beyond that to which it is entitled.

"It is hard for Stanford 20/20 to understand how such behaviour can be deemed to be in the 'best interests of West Indies cricket' as Digicel continually claims.

"Stanford 20/20 will not be bullied in this way and will respond appropriately to such behaviour under legal advice."