Telstra has dropped its multi-million- dollar sponsorship package for the Commonwealth Games team.
The telco giant will not back our athletes in Delhi, including the long-running hero messages scheme. The program was regarded as a key part of our athletes' success at the Commonwealth Games with fans able to offer support to favourite team members.
"We're disappointed and a little bit taken back because we've had a very long and healthy relationship with Telstra," Games chief Perry Crosswhite said last night from Delhi.
"Certainly the hero messages and faxes mean so much to our athletes and really lifted their spirits.
"It's also the financial support they gave us that will be missed. They'd been with us for a long time so it's unfortunate they won't be with us in Delhi."
Telstra says the decision to axe its sponsorship of swimming and the Games are part of a cost restructure. The company is focusing on lucrative sponsorship deals of the NRL, AFL, and V8s.
Telstra is not the only corporate entity to withdraw its sponsorship of the Delhi Games.
The Australian Commonwealth Games Association has lost several key sponsors who had backed the Melbourne Games in 2006. NAB, Tabcorp, and Microsoft have decided not to renew sponsorships for Delhi.
"It's difficult to compare Melbourne with Delhi when a number of companies jumped on board because it was in our backyard in 2006," a senior Games official said.
The telco giant will not back our athletes in Delhi, including the long-running hero messages scheme. The program was regarded as a key part of our athletes' success at the Commonwealth Games with fans able to offer support to favourite team members.
"We're disappointed and a little bit taken back because we've had a very long and healthy relationship with Telstra," Games chief Perry Crosswhite said last night from Delhi.
"Certainly the hero messages and faxes mean so much to our athletes and really lifted their spirits.
"It's also the financial support they gave us that will be missed. They'd been with us for a long time so it's unfortunate they won't be with us in Delhi."
Telstra says the decision to axe its sponsorship of swimming and the Games are part of a cost restructure. The company is focusing on lucrative sponsorship deals of the NRL, AFL, and V8s.
Telstra is not the only corporate entity to withdraw its sponsorship of the Delhi Games.
The Australian Commonwealth Games Association has lost several key sponsors who had backed the Melbourne Games in 2006. NAB, Tabcorp, and Microsoft have decided not to renew sponsorships for Delhi.
"It's difficult to compare Melbourne with Delhi when a number of companies jumped on board because it was in our backyard in 2006," a senior Games official said.
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