NZ public angry about new ABs logo – but sponsorship fact of life says UC lecturer

A University of Canterbury (UC) lecturer says many of the rugby public are angry with the New Zealand Rugby Union’s decision to place a large logo across the front of the hallowed All Blacks rugby jersey.

UC lecturer Ekant Veer said  today the ``online backlash’’ shows that most people are annoyed at the decision but hope the proceeds from the sponsorship deal go back into grass roots New Zealand rugby.

``If the money is used on administration or on the top players only, a lot of Kiwis are going to be very unhappy. There have been a lot of online complaints already.

``A few years back adidas tried to get the triple stripes put on the All Blacks jersey but failed. The All Blacks jersey is possibly the only adidas sponsored team that does not have the triple stripes, so having AIG across the shirt is a huge coup for AIG,’’ Dr Veer said.

For the NZRU, adidas remains their principal partner and has done since 1999 and will continue to at least 2019.The AIG logo on the All Blacks jersey is just under one third the size of the maximum allowed according to International Rugby Board guidelines. AIG is best known in sporting circles and main shirt sponsors of soccer club Manchester United from 2006 to 2010.

Dr Veer said many people accept sponsorship as being part of modern sports and the five year AIG deal was just a further example of how commercialised sport had become.

The All Blacks represented many aspects of New Zealand identity and tradition but they still incurred costs and they still needed to find sponsors willing to support them. Few would want to do this without any recognition, he said.

``A logo or sponsor’s name on a sports shirt acts both to increase awareness of the sponsor company, but it's also a way of gaining increased brand equity as people will associate the brand with the team.

``If the team is liked, the brand will be liked and this could be a very purposeful move by AIG which represents an industry that has fallen from grace since the earthquakes and lack of action by some insurance companies. In this deal with the NZRU, they are making an effort to draw closer to New Zealanders by sponsoring their home team.

``However, it may backfire as some purists will see the logo as being not just non-traditional, but offensive and a growing sign that the All Blacks are for sale.  One could argue that the NZRU are making a good amount of money from the sponsorship deal, but they have to realise that shirt sales may drop over the next few years as some would want a pure All Blacks shirt - not one with a logo on it,’’ Dr Veer said.

The new logo will be seen for the first time on the All Blacks jersey and shorts in this weekend’s Bledisloe Cup match in Brisbane.