Telstra to Sponsor NRL for Six Years

[The Colonel]

Telstra to Sponsor NRL for Six Years

Tuesday, March 6, 2007 - 1:09 PM
The NRL today announced a new six-year agreement with Telstra as competition Naming Rights sponsor and New Media partner until the end of the 2012 season.

NRL Chief Executive Officer, Mr David Gallop, said the multi-million dollar agreement secured an exciting future for League fans by bringing them the best online and mobile access to their game, as well as a wide range of direct grassroots and development programme benefits.

“Telstra and BigPond are unequalled in their online and mobile content, coverage and their customer base,” Mr Gallop said.

“These negotiations have underlined their commitment to the development of leading-edge online and mobile NRL content for fans.

“This is a great deal for people who love our game, the kids who receive direct support through the Telstra Rugby League Assistance Fund and the Telstra Kids to Kangaroos Junior Rugby League Program and for the NRL and its clubs.

“It’s the largest sponsorship and New Media deal in the game’s history and it is a massive vote of confidence in the NRL and the direction in which we are headed.

“Telstra will be the longest serving naming rights sponsor in Premiership history and it’s a true partnership.

“Maintaining the relationship will further contribute to the growth, success and enjoyment of our game at both the elite and community level.

“This deal is about finding the right telecommunications and New Media partner, one who can deliver the best experience to the greatest number of fans.”

BigPond Group Managing Director, Mr Justin Milne, said BigPond not only shared the NRL’s commitment to growing the game, but would continue to develop new and improved ways for league fans to access their sport on-demand, both when and where they wanted it.

“Only Telstra can provide a truly integrated online and mobile NRL experience,” Mr. Milne said.

When the new look 2007 NRL sites on Telstra’s Next GTM and 3G Mobiles and BigPond broadband are launched next month, fans will be able to access :

full game replays,
timely highlights and video updates on mobile and online,
live results and statistics,
news, interviews and club-specific content,
competitions and more.

Mr. Milne said “Our nrl.com website has proved incredibly popular. In August last year, we had a record number of visits – almost a million. And more than three and a half million videos were streamed in 2006. The Ladder Predictor alone had more than 200,000 players.

“And to ensure the continued growth and popularity of League, from grassroots through to the elite levels, this deal brings other great benefits to the sport.

“Telstra’s support of grassroots Rugby League programs, including the Telstra Assistance Fund and the Telstra Kids to Kangaroos Junior Rugby League program will ensure the benefits of the sponsorship flow to communities across Australia,” Mr. Milne said

“Telstra has provided equipment worth over $800 000 through the Telstra Rugby League Assistance Fund to 627 clubs from Litchfield in the Northern Territory to Lightning Ridge in New South Wales over the last three years.

“Last year the Telstra Kids to Kangaroos Junior Rugby League Program taught over 2500 children from Queensland, New South Wales and the ACT the skills of the game in a safe and fun environment.

“This sponsorship agreement will ensure these programs continue to benefit communities across Australia for at least the next six years developing the Rugby League legends of the future by providing practical assistance today,” Mr. Milne said.


http://www.nrl.com/News/Latest/NewsArticle/tabid/76/NewsId/4103/Default.aspx

 

[The Tank]

Our nrl.com website has proved incredibly popular

:? Yeah right, it's crap.

 

[Mr Angry]

No mention of how much though.

 

[raiders fan forever]

:? Yeah right, it's crap.

When are they going to update it! :crazy:

 

[Ziggy the God]

You can still access all the info from the 2006 GF on the front page, including team lineups.

 

[Tom Shines]

I would say these forums have almost as many hits as the nrl.com website.
And of course, all of the fan vidoes will continue to be banned on YouTube.

 

[Brutus]

Spin, spin spin.

Crap, predictable deal.

 

[Mr Saab]

NRL.com is a waste of space.
Never ever go there for news.

 

[groggo]

the pain and suffering continues

BOOOOOOOOOO

 

[jamesgould]

If Telstra are going to take all the videos on Youtube down, then they should at least have highlights of games on their site prior to 2005! How about highlights of games back to 1998?

The naming rights thing is great news though, can't believe it's taken so long though.

 

[Moffo]

how crap, 15m a year is disgraceful. the NRL are easily the worst bargainers of all time

 

[International RL]

how crap, 15m a year is disgraceful. the NRL are easily the worst bargainers of all time

They remind me of Homer Simpson negotiating Lurlene's contract...

"Now before we negotiate I should tell you that I'm desperate to sell and I'll take any price".

 

[raidersfan]

They remind me of Homer Simpson negotiating Lurlene's contract...

"Now before we negotiate I should tell you that I'm desperate to sell and I'll take any price".

:lol:

 

[KalgoorlieRed]

Why cant we get any email address for these knobheads? Surely there must be emails for Colin Lovemyself and David Galloping?

 

[airpoe]

So this means if your not an Telstra Broadband customers you will get almost zero access to nrl content on the nrl site!

 

[Gibbo]

Another thing that is frustrating about Telstra's sponsorship is there lack of acknowledgment in regards to their sponsorship of the NRL. I.e., You see a suncorp ad on tv and it will feature a couple of the wallabies (despite the fact that there not even their major sponsor), or you hire a Hyundai rent a car and there will be a little A-league sticker on the back window. Has anyone ever seen a Telstra ad proclaim that they are 'proud sponsors of the NRL?' No. Have rugby league players ever featured in a telstra ad? No.
Just last week i passed a Telstra van with a snazzy new football mural on the side of it-shame it was an Aussie rules football mural.

 

[In-goal]

I think part of this current deal is to have telstra raise the proffile of Rugby League nation wide, fortunatley of late the ARU have been doing a great job of promoting league with there poor matches and all the talk of Lote returning to the running game.

It only makes for a great future for the game, obviously it's got to the point now where the AFL are always going to be the biggest but there is no shame following the giant they have become.

Rugby League needs to start looking at ways of improving it's overall attendances and by that I don't point the finger at Melbourne but at clubs like Saints, Parra and the rest of the Sydney clubs who should all look to have averages above 20,000 by the end of the 2009 season.

 

[Quidgybo]

It only makes for a great future for the game, obviously it's got to the point now where the AFL are always going to be the biggest but there is no shame following the giant they have become.

I don't think that's necessairly true. Attendances are not the only measure of success - especially in this age of television and multi hundred million dollar broadcast contracts. I would agree that the AFL are currently the biggest and that we are going to struggle to catch up with AFL attendances any time in the next 30 years. But I think with the right expansion policy, media deals and marketing we could overtake them in nearly every other aspect. Afterall, we're lucky enough to be blessed with the better product! ;-)

Leigh.

 

[Brutus]

Another thing that is frustrating about Telstra's sponsorship is there lack of acknowledgment in regards to their sponsorship of the NRL. I.e., You see a suncorp ad on tv and it will feature a couple of the wallabies (despite the fact that there not even their major sponsor), or you hire a Hyundai rent a car and there will be a little A-league sticker on the back window. Has anyone ever seen a Telstra ad proclaim that they are 'proud sponsors of the NRL?' No. Have rugby league players ever featured in a telstra ad? No.
Just last week i passed a Telstra van with a snazzy new football mural on the side of it-shame it was an Aussie rules football mural.

It's a joke isn't it. This deal is a poor one despite what you read from Dean Ritchie and his news ltd cronie mates in the DT. Gould and Masters are both correct.

 

[phonetic]

Rugby League needs to start looking at ways of improving it's overall attendances and by that I don't point the finger at Melbourne but at clubs like Saints, Parra and the rest of the Sydney clubs who should all look to have averages above 20,000 by the end of the 2009 season.

We'd need two new home grounds if we're going to average much beyond 20,000!

Fair point though. Our crowds were disappointing last year, and it was the same story with a few other Sydney clubs. We're just so fickle in Sydney town.