Warriors sponsor Vodafone - conflict with Telstra

[Tigerlily]

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

August 17, 2020 7:29pmSource: FOX SPORTS

***Vodafone has been told it can no longer be the Warriors' naming right sponsors.***

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.”

 

[innsaneink]

Compensate them NRL

 

[BalmainJnr]

While I understand Vodafone operates in Australia, I am not aware that Telstra operates in any capacity in New Zealand. Strange to see that this is suddenly an issue, with Vodafone sponsoring the Warriors for 22 years you would think the conflict would have been identified in 2015 when Telstra was given the exclusivity clause.

 

[old_man_tiger]

Gee what a rough year for them.

 

[jadtiger]

Poor form from the NRL if the article is accurate

 

[Russell]

Typical of Mongrel Telstra to complain after all this time.

The NRL need to compensate the Warriors i.e. cover Vodaphone's sponsorship until that contract is concluded, two years according to that article.

The NRL can't have it both ways - maybe Telstra should have to take the place of Vodaphone.

That would be good. The Warriors have screwed around enough and have been doing the right thing and now for their trouble - get this slap in the face.

 

[Strider]

Terrible

 

[Deleted member 3518]

Those business practices are the worst . That company is not doing itself any favours . They have a real ruthless reputation. Especially when you consider Vodafone have been the major sponsor of NZ since the dawn of time .
The promotional conflict passed long ago. And it’s not like Aus media does them any favours . When was the last time the warriors had mass exposure on a Channel 9 game . Pretty low act tbh.

 

[hammertime]

I hope the NRL look after them if they can't secure another major sponsorship before next year. Low act by telstra too, dumb business decision

 

[twentyforty]

I don’t know if English is a second language for some? Maybe the full meaning gets lost in translation?

“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.””

Telstra would have advised Vodafone of its contractual obligations soon after the change in 2015.
They have no grounds to argue “poor me” we had no idea Telstra were serious about not wanting to sponsor a competitor who gets in through the back door with a lousy $1m.

 

[twentyforty]

While I understand Vodafone operates in Australia, I am not aware that Telstra operates in any capacity in New Zealand. Strange to see that this is suddenly an issue, with Vodafone sponsoring the Warriors for 22 years you would think the conflict would have been identified in 2015 when Telstra was given the exclusivity clause.

All that is about to change. Their head office is in Auckland. Finally our kiwi mates are going to get some high tech solutions to their business needs.

 

[BalmainJnr]


 

[Bob]

Didn’t Vodafone and tpg recently merge to become the third largest telecom provider in aus recently? Maybe more of a threat

 

[JD Tiger]


Good on Telstra, bowing to public opinion.

Proof - that social media/outrage can lead to pressure the big companies to change their business policy. In the short term at least.

 

[OzLuke]

No praise should be going to Telstra....if people didn't kick up they wouldn't have changed.....pr rubbish from the telco....

 

[JD Tiger]

No praise should be going to Telstra....if people didn't kick up they wouldn't have changed.....pr rubbish from the telco....

Fair call, I think it's scary the power that social media can exert these days.

 

[Guest]

Shocking decision IMO. Reeks of pettiness and the NRL should be ashamed.

 

[tig_prmz]

i feel telstra and NRL are getting maligned for no reason. There was always a clause since 2015 and the Warriors had an exempt until the end of 2020 ONLY and apparently Telstra had always informed NRL and Warriors about this.

I'd say Warriors are the ones who've taken this public to get social media behind them and get out of a situation that they already knew existed.

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

i feel telstra and NRL are getting maligned for no reason. There was always a clause since 2015 and the Warriors had an exempt until the end of 2020 ONLY and apparently Telstra had always informed NRL and Warriors about this.

I'd say Warriors are the ones who've taken this public to get social media behind them and get out of a situation that they already knew existed.

And given that they've gone out of their way to ensure the game goes ahead this year and given Telstra their exposure, maybe a concession on the NRL and Telstra's part wasn't an unrealistic expectation.

 

[Deleted member 3518]

I don’t know if English is a second language for some? Maybe the full meaning gets lost in translation?

“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.””

Telstra would have advised Vodafone of its contractual obligations soon after the change in 2015.
They have no grounds to argue “poor me” we had no idea Telstra were serious about not wanting to sponsor a competitor who gets in through the back door with a lousy $1m.

Come on man ! Some clubs struggle to get 300k for their front of jersey , and you’re into a club who has secured 1m for the last 20 years as lousy . The only reason they’re into aVodafone now is they’re the most direct competition for 5g. Prior to this , they weren’t even considered close.
Bad form considering the current climate.