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Marketing and Sponsorship

National Rugby League Sponsor Telstra Denies Considering Ending 17-Year Deal

Telstra has denied it is considering ending a 17-season partnership with the National Rugby League as its naming-rights sponsor, according to Mason & Stensholt of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. Australia reported the telecom was "on the verge of giving up its naming-rights sponsorship," which it has held since '01, and would seek to stay on "as only a minor sponsor." But Telstra, which jointly owns pay-TV operator Foxtel with News Corp., said on Monday the reports were false "and that it was in dialogue with the NRL regarding an extension to its current deal." A Telstra spokesperson said, "Reports that Telstra is looking to not renew our NRL naming rights are untrue." An NRL spokesperson welcomed the Telstra statement, saying that while the rugby league governing body "would not discuss" ongoing sponsorship or broadcast rights negotiations, "Telstra is a long-term and valued partner and we naturally look forward to further discussions with them." It comes as part of a "concerted campaign" from News Corp. to put pressure on the NRL, following the league's "apparent snubbing" of News Corp. when it negotiated the free-to-air and free streaming broadcast rights with Nine Entertainment Co for A$925M ($666M) and without Foxtel, which is 50% owned by News Corp. (SMH, 8/24).

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