Uptonsteel has bought the naming rights to Leicestershire County Cricket Club’s Grace Road ground.
Management at the club said Leicester-based Fischer Future Heat had decided not to renew its ground naming partnership which had been in place for five years.
It will be known as the Uptonsteel County Ground with immediate effect.
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Uptonsteel, supplies steel sheeting and coils from its base in Markfield in the west of the county, and is a longstanding partner of the club.
Club chief executive Sean Jarvis said recent advertising and sponsorship signings as well as membership renewals were helping the club through the pandemic, which had meant no paying fans at last season’s matches.
He said the club lost between £200,000 and £250,000 in the last three months of 2020 after cancelling traditional revenue raisers such as Christmas parties and fireworks displays.
He said: “We picked up a number of new partners during the latter part of last year and start of this year.
“We were talking to Fischer through last year about renewing the title rights for the ground, and eventually they came to the conclusion they did not want to renew, but they are still supporters of the club.
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“So we offered it to other businesses who have been involved with the club. Uptonsteel have been tremendous supporters for a number of years and as our main shirt sponsors wanted to take the opportunity.
“The agreement is for 2021 and we hope to make it longer term.”
He said there was positivity at the club as other revenue streams were competing well with the equivalent period pre-lockdown in 2019.
He said the club was also crossing its fingers that it would be able to have at least partial crowds back this summer.
Despite that, he said, when the 2020 accounts were filed, they would show an inevitable loss.
He said: “The number of companies that has joined forces with us recently has been great.
“We have re-engaged with the business community, and spoken to them about the opportunities we have got and how we can create partnerships with them and help them get a return on their investment with us.
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“As a business we are continuing to operate on a skeleton level and still have a number of operational staff furloughed.
“The players are on flexi-furlough because they need to be able to achieve a level of fitness for the season starting in April.
“We are trying to get out there and get sponsors to help us through what will be another difficult year, but are hopeful that we can get at least some crowds into the ground.”
Uptonsteel, which has partnered the club for four years, will also continue its shirt and wicket sponsorship.
Managing director James Upton said: “We’ve been supporters of the Running Foxes for about four years and have benefited from the exposure offered to us through previous sponsorship opportunities.
“We’re really proud to be named as the official ground naming rights sponsor.
“At Uptonsteel we’re really passionate about sport and the Running Foxes have played a big part in our region’s community for so long, we want to support the club’s future.
“We can’t wait for the season to start and we’re behind the Running Foxes all the way.”
Leicestershire County Cricket Club commercial manager Tracey Branson: “Their support is invaluable to us as we prepare to welcome fans back into the ground once more.
“We are currently working to update our signage so Uptonsteel County Ground will be visible at all ground entrances, the business also receives greater exposure at a national level through TV and written media.”