The Darwin and Districts Cricket Competition has announced a new partnership with Whittles Body Corporate Management Services, who will become the naming rights sponsor for the 2026 Premier T20 Competition. The partnership comes as interest in the shortest format of the game continues to grow globally, and will help support the ongoing development of local cricket in the Top End.
Karl Mayne, Head of Clubs and Competitions at NT Cricket, highlighted the global explosion of the format and what this new partnership means for the region.
"T20 cricket is seeing incredible popularity and growth across the world," Mayne said.
"It has been introduced into the Olympic Games from LA28, the recent ICC World Cup final had 73 million concurrent viewers, and the IPL is the second most valuable sports league in the world on a per-game basis. This partnership from Whittles shows the interest in T20 cricket is cutting through into the local and domestic market in Australia."
Andrea Daglas, Branch Manager at Whittles, a company recognised for its excellence in strata and body corporate management, noted the organisation's commitment to the region and the visible momentum of the sport.
"As a local business, Whittles is deeply committed to supporting our community," Daglas said.
"We have seen the fantastic growth and improvement of cricket in the Top End in recent years, and we are proud to align with a competition that brings so much excitement and opportunity to the region."
2026 Whittles Premier T20 Competition Highlights
The upcoming season promises action-packed scheduling and expanded opportunities for fans to catch the games live:
- Opening Day (April 11): The season will launch with massive triple headers at DXC Arena. In an exciting addition, the Women's Division 1 competition will also be held on the same day, with matches spread across both venues.
- Labour Day Family Day (May 4): Following the resounding success of last season's triple headers, a special Family Day will be held on the Monday public holiday, replicating the festival atmosphere and triple header format.
- Finals Day (July 26): The tournament will culminate in a blockbuster Sunday featuring both semi finals and the Grand Final. The Palmerston Cricket Club will return as the reigning champions, looking to defend their title against a highly competitive field.
Further details regarding match times and broadcast information will be released on the NT Cricket website.