By HENRY MORABANG
SOUTH Pacific Brewery will continue to sponsor the premier and semi professional rugby league competition in the country, the SP Cup, for the next two years as per its sponsorship agreement.
SP Brewery Marketing manager Tzao Chen Tan yesterday told The
National that his company had committed K400,000 annually for five years – meaning SP Brewery still have another two years before the sponsorship expire.
“We have a five-year sponsorship agreement with PNG National Rugby League and we still have another two years left,” Mr Tan said. The SP Brewery sponsorship with PNGNRL started in 2005 and ends next year.
Mr Tan joined PNG Rugby Football League (PNGRFL) chief executive officer Jeff Wade and denied any report that the SP Cup sponsorship of NRL competition had ended.
Wade said in an email that he had distanced himself from media reports
in the Sunday Chronicle newspaper over the weekend. The newspaper reported that the SP
Brewery sponsorship lapsed and the naming right of the competition was up for grabs.
He said he had actually referred the Sunday Chronicle to NRL chairman Tom Higgins and PNGRFL chairman Albert Veratau if they wanted to get details on the sponsorship regarding SP Cup competition.
Wade said that as the CEO, he reported to both organisations but did not make decisions on sponsorship agreements. These decisions are made by the respective boards.
Both organisations have yet to furnish him with any details and as such, he was not in a position to make any comments on the sponsorship. Therefore, any further comments on the sponsorship can be obtained from Mr Higgins or Mr Veratau.
Mr Higgin last night said he cannot comment on the newspaper report as he had not seen it.
On Mr Tan’s statement, if it was coming from the sponsors, then it could be true but would reserve the comments until both SP Brewery and the PNGRFL finalise the sponsorship, he said.
He said he cannot comment on what the SP Brewery said yesterday.