7 Feb 2014

Sport: FRU announce Vodafone deal as sponsorship issue goes to court

12:05 pm on 7 February 2014

The Fiji sevens team will wear Vodafone sponsored jerseys in Wellington this weekend, after the Suva High Court threw out an appeal from rival company Digicel.

The FRU announced the signing of a lucrative five year sponsorship agreement on Monday, after a month of talks aimed at plugging a 1.5 million US dollar funding shortfall.

FBC News reports that Digicel asked the court for an injunction, arguing it matched the Vodafone offer of more than 21 million US dollars over five years.

But the judge rejected that application, saying the Vodafone deal has now been signed, with a final decision to be made next week.

Fiji Airways will also feature on the sevens team jersey for the Gold Coast, Wellington and Hong Kong tournaments.

Meanwhile in announcing the Vodafone deal, the FRU released a four page document explaining its decision to renegotiate their sponsorship arrangements.

It questions the ethical thinking, integrity and accountability of the previous administration when past sponsorship deals were put in place.

And argues there was a massive gap between the price paid by previous sponsors and the value received from being associated with the FRU.