Lindsays Cross Country Season sponsorship will now run to 2026

Monday 18th September 2023

scottishathletics are thrilled to confirm a new three-year extension to our sponsorship agreement with Lindsays.

The Lindsays Cross Country Season, which covers District and National events each winter, will now run through to the end of the 2025-26 season.

Within that period we will celebrate the 10th anniversary of support from Lindsays, making it one of the longest sponsorship deals in Scottish sport.

Lindsays first became involved in 2014 and remained hugely supportive of scottishathletics and cross country throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.

This year we enter the 10th season, culminating in the Lindsays National XC at Falkirk next February.

Members can help their club benefit from using the company’s legal services – with 15 percent of the fee fed back to the club.

Lindsays offer to our members

Photo by Bobby Gavin

Here are the key points on the new deal . . .

*Growing participation in National events was the initial goal in 2014.

Compare the finisher numbers from the Lindsays Short Course XC from Bellahouston Park in November 2014 to Kirkcaldy in November 2022:

2014: 337 Seniors (110W 227M); 94 U17; 138 U15. Total 569

2022: 744 Seniors (260W 484M); 148 U17; 187 U15. Total 1079

*Overall commitment to the sport by Lindsays will thus reach 12 years with strong name association for #LindsaysXC and huge growth across social media channels in that time

*The overall Lindsays Cross Country Season and sponsorship now effectively spans from September through to May/June. District Relays and Masters XC were not originally included when the sponsorship began but were added.

*The Lindsays Trophy now has more than 100 Scottish clubs represented at least one athlete at the three main National events during course of the season – National Relays, Short Course, National XC.

We have come to expect a minimum of 10 clubs to field more than 100 athletes across those three events (it was 11 in season 2022-23)

Ian Beattie and Hamish Armitt with Giffnock North AC youngsters at the presentation of the Lindsays Trophy in May 2022 (photo by Bobby Gavin)

‘The Lindsays Cross Country Season continues to go from strength to strength,’ said Ian Beattie MBE, Chief Operating Officer at Lindsays.

‘As a firm, we are delighted to have played our part in helping that to happen – and to extend our support through to 2026.

‘This is one of the longest-running sponsorships in Scottish sport because we see the difference that it makes to the athletes, their clubs and the health of their communities. As a firm, we encourage participation in sport as part of a lifestyle which fosters good physical and mental health.

‘We are looking forward to another tremendous season of competition. Good luck to everyone who will be taking part.’

Colin Hutchison (left) (photo by Bobby Gavin)

‘We’re very pleased to announce a further three years of support for the Lindsays Cross Country Season,’ said our chief executive, Colin Hutchison.

‘Lindsays first became involved in our sport back in 2024 so to commit to seeing that through now to 2026 is hugely encouraging for us.

‘The aim at that time was to try and grow numbers at our National Cross Country events and that’s very much been happening. During the sponsorship, District Relays and Masters events have been added to the roster.

‘Covid of course had an impact in 2021 but the numbers since the return have been very good indeed and clubs responded.

‘The support from Lindsays helps our event presentation and our media/comms around events like the National XC. Last year, we added digital programmes for big events and highlights on YouTube.

‘We are all excited about another season starting and the continued backing from Lindsays.’