Senior AIG director pushing for logo on All Black Jersey - Thian
"My thoughts goes out to George Nepia & others. What will be next?"
Featured commentUPDATE July 7: The Rugby Union might be mum about reports AIG is taking an All Black sponsorship, including a logo on the front of the team's jersey.
But independent sports writer Jed Thian is standing firmly by his story, and that it is not based on idle banter or rumour.
"I would like to make it clear that I received this information during my conversation with a senior director of AIG," Mr Thian told NBR ONLINE last night.
The comments were made at a Christina Noble Children's Foundation event on June 6 in Hong Kong, Mr Thian said.
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Room for two on All Blacks jersey? Tew talks around AIG rumour
July 6: NZRU chief executive Steve Tew is refusing to confirm or deny a rumour that AIG is being lined up as a new All Black sponsor – complete with a logo front-and-centre on the team's hallowed jersey.
"As is normal for our organisation, we are discussing opportunities with a number of potential sponsors across a range of categories," Mr Tew said in a statement to NBR ONLINE.
"Like any commercial organisation, we are not able to discuss any of those details until both parties have reached agreement.
"But let's be clear, adidas is our principal partner and that contract extends to 2019 and underpins rugby in this country."
AIG (American International Group) sponsored English Premiere League team Manchester United from 2006 and 2009 in a deal reportedly worth £19 million ($NZ37 million) a year.
The Man United deal ended as the insurer was crunched by the global financial crisis.
The controversy began on Thursday when Alternative Rugby Commentary's Jed Thian said on Radio NZ that one of AIG's Asia Pacific executives had told him the NZRU was considering the AIG logo for a strip on the front of the All Blacks jersey.
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Comments and questions10
I would be very happy if some of the money trickled down to lift the mana of NZ's schools first fifteens. The cradle of our future All Blacks.
Come on ,"they need the money" , the Rugby Union have been paying the players way over the top ,they also have a large admin cost
My thought goes out to George Nepia & others... What will be next??
Well yes the jersey is hallowed..but this is also the professional era.
I don't see it belittling the jersey but that's my opinion.
Well, if it's true, I'm sure the amount will be a fraction for two reasons - the value of AIG is a small fraction of what it was in 2006 and the value of the All Blacks (and the exposure they get) is a fraction of Man United.
How long can the incompetence of the NZRU be ignored? If they understood their own logo they wouldn't obscure it with the brands of sponsors. The All Blacks attract plenty of sponsors who don't have their logos on the uniform. Up against the ivy league, hotshot lawyers of groups like AIG, the humble sports administrators at the Union are well out of their depth.
Barcelona FC had UNICEF on the jerseys. That type of brand I wouldn't mind being displayed on the Black & White, but AIG?? selling the jersey to Insurers???
Why would the NZRU want to associate the world class All Black brand with a tarnished company like AIG?? Surely they can do better than this?
Personally i hope they dont go for it. Look at how ridiculace the Premier league is. No one is worth millions of pounds to play a game. The more they keep sponsors away the better.
To hell with sposorship deals on the Allblack Jersey..KEEp something sacred. This so called sposer is AIG a big American corporate who is one of 5 who control America and who was bailed out by the government for billions and who this week is wanting 30 million in interest to stay afloat ..
Nobody who is a sponsor gives a stuff on how the AB players feel or play so long as their logo is out there and we keep winning..Our ABs are playing too many games per person and the knocks they take are huge in this day of age. SAY KNOW TO JERSEY SPONSERSHIP