No short shrift for new Knights sponsor
BY BRETT KEEBLE AND JAMES GARDINER
24 Nov, 2011 04:00 AM
NEWCASTLES Knights and Jets are now wearing Australian sports most expensive shorts.The Hunter Sports Group announced yesterday a sponsorship partnership with Queensland Rail National worth about $2million for the freight companys logo to be displayed on the shorts of the regions flagship rugby league and soccer teams for the next three years.
The Jets will wear them for the first time when they host Harry Kewell and the Melbourne Victory in the A-League game at Ausgrid Stadium tomorrow week.
Its easily the biggest shorts sponsorship of any sporting organisation in the country, a source close to the negotiation process told the Newcastle Herald yesterday.
It is understood the deal with the Knights and Jets is even more lucrative than when QR National the biggest rail freight company in Australia sponsored Super Rugby champions Queensland Reds.
QR National was known as Queensland Rail before being privatised last year.
Knights and Jets captains Kurt Gidley and Jobe Wheelhouse, senior players Jarrod Mullen and Michael Bridges, respective chief executives Matt Gidley and Robbie Middleby, and coaches Rick Stone and Gary van Egmond, joined HSG and QR National executive managers at Ausgrid Stadium yesterday for the announcement.
Apart from displaying the logo on the shorts, the Knights and Jets will be involved with QR National in promoting rail safety for children, providing scholarships, implementing health and well-being programs, and acknowledging volunteers.
The players will act as ambassadors for us and their involvement in the rail-safe and community programs was one of the key attributes to the sponsorship, QR National managing director and chief executive Lance Hockridge said.
Hockridge said the sponsorship agreement with the Reds had expired, and the support of the Knights and Jets was part of the companys national expansion.
This region is a very important growth area for QR National and we are thrilled that we can extend our involvement in the Newcastle and Hunter Valley community in this way, he said. We have trebled the number of employees [in the Hunter], we have more than trebled the tonnage; we are very much about saying we are a core part of this community and we are here to stay.
This is not just about an investment in the future of sport in the region but also an investment in the local community where our people live and work.
Hockridge said the Knights and Jets were highly regarded outside the Hunter, and the exposure QR National received would enhance the companys reputation.
QR National is the third dual major sponsor of the Knights and Jets following Hunter Ports, of which HSG owner Nathan Tinkler holds the majority stake, and NIB Health Funds.
