News Warriors to lose sponsor for NRL conflict - Now reversed by Telstra/NRL.

[TDS-Reporter]

After a season of turmoil the Warriors have been dealt another cruel blow with major sponsor Vodafone signalling an end to its 22-year partnership with the club due to a …

Continue reading...

Feed courtesy of Sportsnews.com.au

 

[spiritofaslan]

What an absolute fucking joke. Tell Telstra to get fucked, and get TPG Telecom (owners of Vodafone) onboard as an NRL sponsor.

If the Warriors fold it's all on you NRL! There should not be an allowance for conflict of interests.

Hopefully the Warriors sue them or take the matter to the ACCC.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...r/news-story/7f1c311f5705290c839fdf416ce62121

NRL leaves Warriors with million-dollar headache after banning long-term sponsor

• August 17, 2020 7:29pm
• Source: FOX SPORTS

Vodafone has been told it can no longer be the Warriors' naming right sponsors.Source: Getty Images

Already asked to sacrifice so much for the NRL, the Warriors are now in sponsorship strife with the league informing the club Vodafone can no longer be its naming rights sponsor, reports the NZ Herald.

Vodafone has sponsored the Warriors for the past 22 years and still has two more on its current contract, but it has been informed that deal can no longer go on in its current guise due to a telecommunications exclusivity clause in favour of Telstra — the NRL’s major sponsor. Telstra has reportedly had this right since 2015.

The NZ Herald reports Vodafone will not be involved with the club in any shape if it does not retain naming rights, meaning the Warriors could be seeing more than $1m a season walk out the door.

“The Warriors have been advised their naming rights deal with us is in conflict with the game-wide rights of Telstra,” the publication quoted a Vodafone insider.

“The NRL aren’t going to grant an exemption beyond the current season. All they offered was a derisory non-naming rights option as an alternative. We’re gutted … the NRL has told us our name isn’t welcome. This feels like another example of the Warriors getting the rough end of the stick.”

Signs the Warriors’ sponsorship deal was in danger first appeared when the NRL demanded the club took down Vodafone-branded goalpost protectors at its training ground in Gosford.

The NRL’s acting chief executive Andrew Abdo told the NZ Herald the situation was “unfortunate”.

“Telstra has been the naming rights partner of the premiership for a long period of time and invest significantly in the game,” Abdo was quoted. “All clubs benefit from this investment.”

He claimed the NRL had been working with the Warriors for years around the conflict of interest that exists in its sponsorship deal.

“It’s unfortunate that the Warriors and Vodafone have not been able to come up with a mutually beneficial solution, despite the NRL working closely on potential options to try and retain Vodafone as a partner for the Warriors.”

 

[TDS-Reporter]

Telstra will allow the Warriors to extend their Vodafone sponsorship after their 22-year partnership threatened to be ended early. The Warriors appeared destined to lose their major sponsor on Tuesday, …

Continue reading...

Feed courtesy of Sportsnews.com.au

 

[TDS-Reporter]

The Warriors have been granted permission to keep Vodafone as their naming-rights sponsor after Telstra allowed an exemption to their exclusivity rights with the NRL on compassionate grounds. The New …

Continue reading...

Feed courtesy of Sportsnews.com.au

 

[spiritofaslan]

So they should .... competition is healthy.