Cricket For Climate struck a note of pragmatism earlier this month when it unveiled a partnership with Origin Zero – a subsidiary of Origin – to help build a “connected energy ecosystem” across sporting facilities in Blacktown to Sydney’s west.
CFC and Origin Zero had been in talks for the past 18 months before their partnership was announced. Origin’s chief executive Frank Calabria has been a vocal advocate for an energy transition to net zero as the best way to bring down power bills in the long term.
Test captain Pat Cummins emblazoned with the Alinta logo in 2022.Credit: Getty
Origin Energy has a giant coal power station in Eraring, NSW.
The Australian Financial Review recently reported Origin is likely to keep Eraring running until at least 2030.
While not involved in negotiations with the new CA sponsor, Cummins was briefed on the partnership and Origin’s views on sustainability, two sources familiar with the deal confirmed. The CA deal with Origin is separate to CFC’s work with Origin Zero.
“Through Cricket for Climate, we’ve been working to future-proof local clubs with solar, battery and education solutions,” Cummins said.
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“This partnership between Cricket Australia and Origin will help us take that mission further, bringing clean energy solutions to community cricket right across the country, like our recently announced partnership with Blacktown City Council. I’m pleased Origin has chosen to support Australian cricket.”
CA signed an initial four-year deal with Western Australia-based Alinta in 2018, at a time when some other sponsors were hesitant to join up with cricket after the Newlands ball tampering scandal.
The deal ended in June 2023 after a one-year extension, with Alinta and CA both stating that the decision was made because of a change in the energy provider’s branding strategy.
Since that time, CA’s top-end administration and board have undergone significant turnover. There is a new chief executive in Todd Greenberg, a new head of commercial, Ed Sanders, and a new chair, former New South Wales Premier Mike Baird.
CA’s commercial stocks have risen in parallel. Westpac signed up as CA’s banking sponsor, replacing Commonwealth Bank, while NRMA have recently expanded their deal to also encompass the national women’s team. Qantas, KFC and Woolworths have also extended their existing deals.
Last year, speaking about the date of Australia Day, Baird told this masthead that CA needed to steer away from imposing its views on the public as to what choices they could make.
“Certainly, I don’t think Cricket Australia should be prescribing anyone across cricket – volunteers, players, supporters – on how they should respond or act on particular social issues,” Baird had said.
Origin Energy CEO Frank Calabria.Credit: Louise Kennerley
“That ultimately is a matter for each individual. But where we have a history and a connection we’ll continue to play a role.”
In October, CA announced a net deficit of $11.3 million after distributions to the states, following deficits of $31.9 million in 2023-24, $16.9 million in 2022-23, $5.1 million in 2021-22, $151,000 in 2020-21 and $45 million in 2019-20.
CA last recorded a net surplus in 2018-19, when it finished $18.1 million in the black after handing out cash to the states.
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