Gloucestershire County Cricket Club launched its very own Hot Air Balloon last night as it took to the skies from the Club’s Bristol County Ground home.
Built to help commemorate Gloucestershire’s 150th anniversary, its inaugural flight was organised ahead of the return of domestic county cricket on Saturday 1st August.
Made by Bristol-based, world-renowned manufacturers Cameron Balloons, the 25.5m high balloon (which measures nearly 2.5m more than the length of a cricket pitch) features the Club’s yellow and black branding in a design created by Bristol-based studio The Group of Seven. The balloon measures 18.75m in diameter, was made using approximately 1,000 square metres of high tenacity nylon fabric and has a volume of 3,000 cubic metres.
The balloon, piloted by Phil & Allie Dunnington of Gone With The Wind, will be used in the coming years to promote the Club’s activities and fixtures and will be seen regularly over Bristol and throughout Gloucestershire.
Gloucestershire Chief Executive Will Brown said:
“In this very special commemorative year for the Club, and following on from some superb Bristol-inspired enhancements already made at the ground in the last 12 months, Gloucestershire Cricket commissioned the balloon to help to celebrate all that is great about this city and region.
Known internationally as a hotbed for ballooning, we felt it was fitting for the Club to promote itself via this method and, judging by the reaction to our first flight, we think it will help to spread awareness, grow our local fanbase, and give many people an unforgettable experience in the years to come.”
The Gloucestershire Cricket balloon will be seen above the Bristol skies in the weeks to come, as the Club prepares for its County Championship and T20 Blast campaigns. Although matches are scheduled to be played behind-closed-doors at this stage, the Club will be live streaming all of its home matches via its website, meaning Gloucestershire supporters won’t miss a ball of the action.
In the last twelve months, the Bristol County Ground has had a complete makeover, with prominent branding and street art from local artist Silent Hobo in evidence around the site. Further enhancements have been made to encourage environmental sustainability (e.g. 100% renewable energy), and the partnership with Fosters Events ensures all of the Club’s matchday and conference and events catering provision stem from a local company sourcing locally-produced food.
John Stephenson
john@cricketinvestor.co.uk
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