A Credit card for Team New Zealand (08/09/01)   (source : Delphi Forum)

A note (by Cheryl) from NZ Herald 9.08.01 American Express and Team New Zealand yesterday launched a co-branded credit card, giving the local America’s Cup defence an undisclosed percentage of all purchases made using it. Points amassed on the card can be redeemed for Team NZ merchandise.

One-boat campaign for Team NZ ? (06/16/01)   (source : nbr.co.nz)

Team New Zealand might by stuck with a one-boat campaign unless it boosts sponsorship levels. The warning from chief executive Ross Blackman (pictured) comes despite the involvement of German software giant SAP, which has come in as the fifth member of the family of five after TVNZ stepped aside. Mr Blackman said that there was a substantial hole in the America's Cup defence budget and if it was not plugged Team New Zealand would be forced to sail a one-boat campaign. "We've still got a major [headache] but we're definitely over halfway, getting close to 65% [of the budget target]. "[We need] a combination of event sponsors ... and additional funding to come out of suppliers' contracts," Mr Blackman said. "We're looking for [product] and cash contributions." He said that if funding was sorted within the next seven months, "we will be in good shape. "We will make decisions next year whether we can afford to build two boats or not," he said. "Two boats are preferable, you need two boats to win." That decision would be made by February or March next year and if there was still "a substantial hole in our budget we will have one boat," Mr Blackman said. "We'll still be there and we'll still be strong. "Our plan is to do it properly. We're really pleased at the progress but it will probably take until the end of this year [to reach budget funding levels]. Mr Blackman would not reveal figures but said the cost of defending the cup was 50% more than last time. He attributed much of the increase to the big players such as Oracle that are now involved in the America's Cup, forcing other syndicates to compete, and the massive pay rises to stop Team New Zealand sailors being lured away by overseas challengers.

German giant new cup family member (05/12/01)   (source : NZ Herald.com)

Team New Zealand have signed German software giant SAP to the "family of five" sponsorship spot left vacant by Television New Zealand. The multimillion-dollar package gives SAP exclusive naming rights on the Team New Zealand spinnakers as well as sharing sponsorship signs with Telecom, Toyota, Lotto and Steinlager on the hulls and mainsails of the black boats. The deal is a big boost for the New Zealand campaign to retain the America's Cup in 2003. ASAP co-chairman Hasso Plattner told the Herald last month that talks with Team New Zealand about a major sponsorship deal had broken down, but it was still interested in a minor sponsorship role. But Team New Zealand chief executive Ross Blackman said Mr Plattner's comments were made in the context of market rumours that SAP was looking at a sponsorship figure that exceeded the syndicate's whole campaign budget.

- SAP is just a minor sponsor for TNZ (04/25/01)   (source : NZ Herald)

Team New Zealand have missed out on a sponsorship deal with the German computer giant SAP, leaving a multimillion-dollar cash gap for the next America's Cup defence. SAP, the world's third-largest software company, had been in talks with TNZ about stepping into the prime "family of five" sponsorship spot left vacant by Television New Zealand. But SAP co-chairman Hasso Plattner told that talks with TNZ about a major sponsorship deal had broken down. Discussions had since resumed, Plattner said, but SAP was interested only in signing up for a minor sponsorship role. Although Mr Plattner is an enthusiastic sailor his yacht Morning Glory won the 1998 Sydney-to-Hobart race he said a deal with Team NZ would be based purely on potential brand exposure for SAP. Sponsorship requirements to pay for the 2003 campaign are tipped to be as high as $85 million - up about 80 per cent - leaving a question mark over who will pick up the slack. TVNZ announced this month that it would retain broadcasting rights for the 2003 campaign, but was pulling its One logo from the sails and side of the black boat challenge "because Team NZ requires a considerably higher level of sponsorship than in previous campaigns." Rick Ellis, the state-owned broadcaster's chief executive, said the move would help Team NZ's defence by opening the door to additional sponsorship. Team NZ have never detailed their sponsorship figures, but TVNZ, Telecom, Steinlager, Lotto and Toyota are believed to have contributed about $5 million each to Team NZ's last campaign. Team NZ chief executive Ross Blackman said that talk of a deal with SAP was speculation. Last May, the Government negotiated a $5.6 million deal with TNZ after key figures Brad Butterworth and Russell Coutts defected to a Swiss syndicate. Sport Minister Trevor Mallard said the extra cash was intended to stem the flow of Team NZ members to foreign challengers. Last night, Mr Mallard would not comment on whether the Government might step in again to bail out Team NZ if a new sponsor could not be found. "I am in relatively frequent contact with Team NZ, but it is inappropriate for me to comment on the state of play of any of their individual negotiations." A Team NZ spokesman said that sponsorship negotiations were continuing and an announcement on a new family-of-five sponsor would be made once a deal was struck.

TVNZ drops AC sponsorship (04/13/01)   (source : NZ Herald.com)

Television New Zealand, a sponsor of Team New Zealand since 90, says it will not be sponsoring Team New Zealand in the 2003 America's Cup. Although the TV network is leaving the "family of five" sponsors, it will retain broadcasting rights to the regatta. TVNZ chief executive Rick Ellis said Team NZ has increased sponsorship fees considerably, and his company's withdrawal would enable the America's Cup defenders to seek additional funding. "New Zealanders are well aware of TV One's role in bringing the America's Cup into their homes," Elllis said. "We don't need to take valuable signage space to get that message across, but we have retained all the commercial benefits of our association with Team New Zealand." .

SAP backing for Team NZ in wind (04/11/01)   (source : NZ Herald)

Team New Zealand is set to benefit from an off-the-water battle between software industry giants Oracle and SAP. Word from the waterfront is that Germany's SAP, the world's third-largest software company with revenues last year of 6.27 billion euros ($13.8 billion), will sign a multimillion-dollar deal to sponsor the New Zealand defence of the America's Cup. . That means if Larry Ellison's Oracle challenge reaches the finals, it will find the name of his biggest rival on the side of the black boat. Mr Ellison, a keen yachtsman, took part in the Sydney-Hobart race in 1999. But he was not able to match the achievement of SAP co-chairman Hasso Plattner, who won the race the previous year in record time in his yacht Morning Glory. SAP also sponsored the handicap winner of the last Sydney-Hobart, SAPAusmaid, and Mr Plattner has been involved in most of the big-boat overseas series around the world. "