Online site TradeMe has pulled an auction set up by Counties-Manukau Steelers rugby team in a last-ditch effort to find a major sponsor.
The team had listed a jersey, a Steelers rugby ball and a piece of Growers Stadium at a starting price of $100,000.
Counties-Manukau Rugby says after exhausting all other avenues it decided to turn to a untraditional method of finding a sponsor.
But on Friday afternoon, it received a call from TradeMe saying the listings did not fit within its rules.
Counties-Manukau Rugby spokesperson Bevan Brown says TradeMe was very supportive of the team's cause but said the site was for selling items only, not for seeking sponsorship.
Mr Brown says though the team is disappointed, it now has three genuine inquiries about sponsorship which it will follow up.
