Brief on Vodafone & Partner Consortium Bid to Fiji Rugby Union

Thank you for Attendance.

 

The purpose of today’s Press Conference is to clear the air on certain reports in the media about FRU sponsorships and whether Vodafone has made an offer to take up FRU sponsorship.

 

Yes, I can confirm that Vodafone Fiji in partnership with another well renounced brand approached FRU in early March about our intentions to take up the FRU sponsorships. At that time, we were advised by FRU that their sponsorship agreement with the current sponsors did not permit them to engage in any discussion with another party for any sponsorship deals.

 

We were advised to hold our offer till the end of August/Sept period by when the current sponsorship agreement would expire and new bids will be called in.  

 

Accordingly, in late August, we re-approached FRU of our intention to put in our bid.  We were given the green light to submit out offer, which we did.

In summary, this is what our Sponsorship bid contained:

Annual Sponsorship  

 

Annual Sponsorship

• Cash	$3,000,000
• TxT Revenue – cash (guaranteed)	$200,000
• Product Sponsorship	$2,500,000
• Local & International PR & Marketing Support	$2,250,000
• Free Airtime to officials and players	$120,000
• Total Value	$8,070,000
• Cash Bonus Incentive
– 15’s ( World Cup Year Only)	$1,000,000

There are question being asked whether the bid is for real. 

I am confirming this to you in black and white that the bid is for real and amount as you can see is substantial compared to what the FRU is reportedly getting currently.  Since, we have made the offer to FRU, we have not head back from them on what their decision is even though we know that they held a meeting to discuss our bid.  However, from media reports we hear that they have stuck with the current sponsor on much less than what is offered by us.

 

For the information of the media and the general public, Vodafone was a sponsor of the FRU from 1994 to 2004 for 10 years. During those 10 years, the national sevens team had some of the most memorable wins which still lingers in our minds today.

 

However, in 2004, when our sponsorship was due for renewal, we were advised by FRU, that an international airline was offering $3m to FRU to take up rugby sponsorship.  

 

Off course, $3m was substantial amount at the time and in the interest of rugby we made a decision to step aside to let rugby prosper. Now and as you all know, there was no such sponsorship offer and you can draw your own conclusions as to why Vodafone was told that such an offer was on the table?  

 

That is how our sponsorship of FRU ended.  Since then we have taken sponsorships of various other sporting bodies such as FNRL, Golf, and bowling and have taken the respective sport to great heights. The semi final finish of the Vodafone Bati at the last world cup is one example. 

 

The Hibiscus Festival and like festivals around the country have all grown in stature with Vodafone’s Sponsorship.

 

We believe that timing is right for Vodafone and our other consortium partner to get re-engaged with rugby because we feel with the kind of money and marketing support we are prepared to put in, we can take rugby to greater heights.  

 

We are therefore hopeful that FRU will make the best decision in the interest of rugby. Our proposal includes specific allocations for funding to be made available at all levels of rugby to ensure the grassroots of rugby benefit.  That is the talent is.

 

Below is a breakdown of how various levels of rugby would benefit from our sponsorship:

 

About Vodafone Fiji:

Vodafone Fiji Limited is part of Vodafone Group Plc, a leading mobile communications company with over 280 million proportionate customers worldwide. Vodafone Fiji which is a partnership with Amalgamated Telecom Holding Fiji provides mobile telecommunications services to over 650,000 Fiji customers. The global company has equity interests in 26 countries and partner networks in a further 33 countries, the largest global footprint.