Targetting the sponsors

With the ICC refusing to act (and NZ Cricket seemingly refusing to ask them), the next step in persuading the Black Caps not to tour Zimbabwe is to target their sponsors. But who are they? NZ Cricket's 2003 - 2004 annual report [PDF] gives the following information:

Commercial Partners

In October The National Bank replaced TelstraClear as the sponsor of the Black Caps. This sponsorship, in addition to The National Bank's existing sponsorship of the summer home international series, will continue until at least 2011.

The National Bank's sponsorship was highly visible and well leveraged by the Bank through its integrated marketing campaigns which featured television advertising and this year included an interactive road show which toured most venues hosting ODIs against South Africa.

The National Bank's cricket sponsorship page can be found here. According to National Radio this morning, the person to contact there is cynthia.brophy@nbnz.co.nz.

Wellfit, NZC's apparel sponsor and official apparel supplier, also renewed its commercial partnership with NZC and the Black Caps.

Wellfit's website is here. You can email them at wstar@wellfit.co.nz, or call David Stiassny on (09) 375 7000. They don't think it has anything to do with them; let's see if we can change their minds.

Puegot became NZC's official car supplier during the year and is already firmly associating with cricket as it seeks to leverage this commercial partnership.

Puegot's sponsorship page is here. The section on cricket says that

The BLACKCAPS will now head off to Zimabwe [sic] and South Africa during the year ahead. Watch this space!

If you'd like to ask them why they're so pleased about it, you can try calling their local NZ representatives on 09 526 7010 and asking to speak to Rod, their marketing manager. Or you can fill out a contact form here.

NZ Cricket also receives money for sport development and "high performance" from SPARC (AKA Sport and Recreation NZ), the government's funding arm. The person to contact about this is the Minister of Sport and Recreation, Trevor Mallard.

Other commercial and funding partners include: Air New Zealand (air travel supplier), DB Breweries (pourage rights holder), Montana Wines (wine supplier), The Radio Network (radio rights), SKY TV (TV rights), and TelstraClear (telecommunications supplier). Feel free to contact any of the above as well.