Renewals are earned, not agreed by default. That's why Warwickshire County Cricket Club has extended its partnership with Intercity for a further three years, building on a relationship that has grown from a technology engagement into a long-term strategic partnership.
Since 2023, Intercity has worked alongside Warwickshire County Cricket Club to strengthen the technology foundations behind one of the UK's most recognised sporting venues. Today, the partnership spans managed IT services, communications and cyber security, helping ensure the venue can deliver exceptional experiences for fans, staff and partners alike.
Lucy Hayes, Operations Director at Warwickshire, said:
"The partnership with Intercity has been a fantastic experience. Our IT has never been more reliable, more secure and more able to support modern innovations in stadia experience that we are determined to lead on.”
THREE YEARS OF PROGRESS
When Intercity first partnered with Warwickshire County Cricket Club in 2023, both organisations shared a common ambition: to use technology to improve performance, resilience and customer experience across the venue.
Over the last three years, that ambition has translated into meaningful progress.
That progress has extended beyond technology. While Intercity's role has focused on supporting the stadium's technology environment, it has been a successful period for Warwickshire more broadly, culminating in the club securing its first County Championship title in five years and reinforcing the ambition that continues to drive the organisation both on and off the field.
Intercity has supported the development of a stronger, more resilient technology environment across the stadium, helping Warwickshire manage critical infrastructure, improve communications and strengthen its cyber security posture. Throughout that period, the venue has evolved into a live showcase of how enterprise technology can support a large-scale, high-footfall environment where reliability is essential.
Lucy Hayes, Operations Director at Warwickshire, said:
"Being a Birmingham-based business, Intercity get the importance of our brand to the city and its wider regeneration plans. This is reflected in the level of service we receive, with transparent communication at its heart and a responsive approach that means, on the rare occasion a problem arises, we have an engineer on site within minutes to solve it.
Reflecting on the journey so far, Mike Osborne, Executive Director at Intercity, said:
"From the start it was a match made in heaven with both organisations keen to harness the power of technology to transform one of the city's real gems, improving its IT platform and looking at new innovations that deliver enhanced sporting performance and customer experience."
As the relationship has developed, Intercity's role has expanded beyond delivering services to helping guide technology decisions and future investment priorities across the venue.
TECHNOLOGY BEYOND WARWICKSHIRE
The partnership has also played an important role in Intercity's growth within the sporting sector.
When the relationship began in 2023, Warwickshire County Cricket Club became Intercity's first major sports venue customer. Over the last three years, the experience and expertise built has helped Intercity expand its presence across the industry, supporting organisations including Birmingham City and Bristol Bears, alongside other professional sports clubs.
"When we signed the deal with Warwickshire County Cricket Club back in 2023, it marked our move into the sporting world, a move that has brought us new clients including Birmingham City, Bristol Bears and a couple of Premier League clubs we can't name." Mike Osborne, Executive Director at Intercity
WHEN TECHNOLOGY CREATES WIDER IMPACT
Beyond infrastructure and operations, the partnership has also supported initiatives with broader community impact. A notable example is the deployment of Ripple's crisis intervention technology.
With support from Intercity, Warwickshire became the first county cricket club in England and Wales to implement the life-saving solution across both staff laptops and public Wi-Fi networks.
The technology discreetly intervenes when someone searches for self-harm or suicide-related content, redirecting them towards mental health support resources. Operating in the background without collecting personal data, the solution provides an additional layer of safeguarding for both staff and visitors.
The project highlighted how technology can deliver benefits beyond operational performance, helping organisations make a positive impact on the people they serve.
As Mike Osborne explains:
"This initiative is the perfect example of how the relationship with Edgbaston has moved beyond infrastructure and into areas of social impact, safety and community responsibility."
LOOKING AHEAD TO THE NEXT THREE YEARS
While the renewal reflects the success of the partnership so far, both organisations are focused firmly on the future.
A key priority for the next phase of the relationship will be exploring how AI can be embedded across the stadium to improve operational efficiency and enhance the overall visitor experience.
For Warwickshire, AI represents the next stage of its technology journey rather than a standalone initiative.
Lucy Hayes, Operations Director at Warwickshire, said:
"Intercity also challenge us. We're not experts in IT and we want a partner who introduces us to new technology that can improve our operational performance, whilst delivering a world-class customer experience for cricket fans. How we embed AI into our stadium is a major priority for the next three years."
The conversation around AI is increasingly moving beyond experimentation and towards practical adoption, with organisations looking for ways to deliver measurable value while maintaining security, governance and operational control.
A PARTNERSHIP BUILT FOR WHAT'S NEXT
The renewed partnership demonstrates the value of a technology relationship built on more than service delivery alone.
Over the last three years, Intercity has helped Warwickshire County Cricket Club strengthen its technology foundations, improve resilience and support innovation across the venue. The next three years will focus on building on those foundations, with AI set to play an increasingly important role in how the stadium operates and evolves.
For both organisations, the objective remains the same: using technology to support better experiences, stronger performance and continuous improvement both on and off the pitch.
