Telstra Object to new Bulldogs sponsor

[FatRooster]

Telstra object to Bulldogs' new sponsor Strathfield
http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,...-23214,00.html

April 10, 2009

The Bulldogs' new $2 million sponsorship deal with retailer Strathfield could be under threat after complaints from Telstra.

Telstra, who are the NRL's main sponsors, have voiced concerns about the Bulldogs linking up with a company which sells rival Optus products.

Bulldogs chief executive Todd Greenberg admitted he did not speak to the NRL about the deal before agreeing to the lucrative arrangement, which was announced on Thursday, but said he was hopeful it will not be scrapped.

"I have apologised for not giving the NRL the heads up but my thought process was that we were dealing with a group I term as an audio car retailer and I didn't in any way, shape of form think it would fall into the telecommunications category," Greenberg said.

"We are currently in talks with the NRL to determine what can be done and hopeful that a workable solution can be found to make sure we keep such a significant sponsorship in rugby league.

"I am due to have talks with Telstra and the NRL over the next 24 hours ... these are tough economic times but we need to be conscious of the fact the NRL have a deal in place with Telstra.

"The NRL have been supportive so far and I have had good dialogue with them so I am hopeful we can resolve any differences we may have."

Chairman of the Strathfield Group, Vaz Hovanessian, said only 10 per cent of his company's turnover was from sales of Optus phones and hoped the deal would remain in place.

AAP

Now I'm not going to profess to being a great fan of the Bulldogs, but it has to be difficult for Telstra and the NRL to justify this decision. Surely in these economic times, the last thing the league should be doing is jeopardising potential sponsorships for clubs. How will Telstra's investment in the NRL stand up if a club was to fall as a result of them dictating who they can and can't have as a sponsor? Also, it seems to be OK for the Warriors to have Vodafone as a major sponsor. While I know they are based in NZL and Telstra probably doesn't have a market there, their jerseys are still displayed on Australian TV screens and/or footy grounds each week! Could this have anything to do with the Dogs being a Sydney club? What next, will we have to dump Samsung because their phones can be used on other networks than Telstra's?

[Guest]

**** em. I work for Optus and I never made the connection. By Telstra highlighting it, makes it even more prominent.


**** em

[Guest]

Bahaha Telstra is at it again. Greedy bastards F****



Should be the fate of everything telstra owns.

Enough with Telstra, We should have economically destroyed it already.

[supermario]

this is a joke by telstra !!!!!

Are they going to contest the sponsorship of the roosters because Samsung phones can be used on all providers???

Bloody Joke !!!

Thats just like ANZ saying the dragons have to change their name and sponsor when they play at ANZ stadium, same with souffs !!!

[Guest]

this is a joke by telstra !!!!!

Are they going to contest the sponsorship of the roosters because Samsung phones can be used on all providers???

Bloody Joke !!!

Thats just like ANZ saying the dragons have to change their name and sponsor when they play at ANZ stadium, same with souffs !!!

Excellent example, Unfortunately Telstra still thinks it controls the Kremlin.

[supermario]

As usual.....the NRL gives in !!!!

Outrage as NRL blocks new Bulldogs sponsor The Strathfield Group
By Josh Massoud
April 11, 2009 The NRL and Telstra have been branded "childish", "short-sighted" and "negative" for blocking the Bulldogs' new $2 million major sponsorship.

Would-be jersey-front sponsor Strathfield Group launched an extraordinary attack and foreshadowed legal action after its three-year deal with the Bulldogs was stymied because of the NRL's exclusivity deal with Telstra.

The major telco fired legal letters to the NRL on Thursday upon discovering the Bulldogs had linked with Strathfield Group - a diversified business with one arm that solely sells products belonging to rival Optus.

The NRL duly supported Telstra and has told Bulldogs CEO Todd Greenberg he must find a new major sponsor.

The sponsorship brawl threatens to impact on the Bulldogs as they prepare for the Easter Monday blockbuster against table-topping South Sydney at ANZ Stadium.

Chairman of Strathfield Group, Vaz Hovanessian, vowed his company would not back down to "bullying tactics".

"Here we are, a business that's prepared to invest $2 million in the sport after all the bad headlines and in an economic downturn, and they tell us we can't," Hovanessian fumed.

"I've seen so many women walking away from rugby league and taking their men with them as well. There's been a lot of unhappy incidents.

"We've had players fighting players, directors fighting directors and now we've got sponsors fighting sponsors.

"When does the negativity end? This is going to backfire big time in the face of Telstra and the NRL.

"They are using bullying tactics to crush a smaller business.

"If Telstra is worried about us, then I feel very sorry for Telstra.

"We are only interested in promoting the Strathfield Group, no one's talking about Optus.

"I wonder if this is uncompetitive behaviour.

"We'll be talking to our lawyers and looking closely at the Trade Practices Act.

"It is very short-sighted. To fire off legal letters within moments of our sponsorship being announced is so childish.

"We'll be fighting it all the way - tooth and nail."

Hovanessian argued that mobile telephony only constitutes between 12 and 14 percent of his business, which also offers home loans and car audio. He also accused the NRL of "hypocrisy for allowing other clubs to take up sponsorships with Vodafone and Harvey Norman.

Although talks between the Bulldogs and Telstra are planned for Saturday, the NRL was unmoved.

Commercial director Paul Kind maintained Telstra was rightfully exercising an exclusivity clause contained in the premiership's naming rights deal.

Kind also said the Bulldogs had not complied with the NRL's directive to inform it of the deal before the announcement was made.

"There is only one industry that is off-limits for the clubs and that's telecommunications," Kind said. "They all know about the terms of Telstra's deal and we even pay the clubs a significant figure annually as recognition of the fact they can't negotiate in this area."

Kind said Vodafone's sponsorship with the Warriors was permissible because it pre-dated Telstra's involvement, while Harvey Norman was a partner of the telco.

Does this now set the precedent for ANZ to say, "Souffs and St george, when you Play at ANZ Stadium, you need to drop your bank sponsorship"

****en soft !!!!!

[stephenj]

funny how telstra was the big supporter of sewer league, which is the reason all my telephony, tv, internet etc is with optus!

[Guest]

funny how telstra was the big supporter of sewer league, which is the reason all my telephony, tv, internet etc is with optus!

lol, i done the same 2 years ago and work effortlessly in lobbying family and friends to quit telstra.