Telecom Announces National Sponsorship Of Women’s National Hockey Side: “Telecom 2go Black Sticks”
Telecom Mobile is the new sponsor of the New Zealand Women’s Hockey team, now known as the Telecom 2GO Black Sticks.
Telecom Group General Manager, Mobile, Mohan Jesudason today announced the new sponsorship and name and hoped that it
would add to the profile of the team and of women’s sport in New Zealand.
“The New Zealand Women’s Hockey team is an outstanding example of skill, commitment and professionalism. The attributes
we saw in this team are those attributes valued at Telecom, and it is those along with our concern at the lack of
corporate support for women’s sport in New Zealand that led to the Telecom 2GO Blacksticks.
“Over 37,000 New Zealanders play hockey through out the country, with the majority, over 20,000, making up the women’s
teams. Despite so many New Zealand women partaking in the sport, the national women’s side has not traditionally enjoyed
the high level of exposure or public support of their higher profile sporting colleagues.
“We anticipate that our sponsorship will help give the team the recognition they deserve,” Mr Jesudason said.
New Zealand Hockey Federation Chief Executive Ramesh Patel described today’s announcement as a “major coup for New
Zealand Hockey.”
“Following on from the interest created at the recent Olympics in Sydney, we are delighted to be associated with Telecom
as our new naming rights sponsor of the women’s team for the next three years.”
“Telecom’s involvement will ensure not only the financial assistance required to prepare the team for international
competition, but also increase the marketing and promotion of the team.
“Hockey in the end will benefit immensely,” Mr Patel said.