Telstra to quit Dome
Dan Silkstone | June 27, 2007 | The Age
TELSTRA is preparing to withdraw from its sponsorship of the Docklands football stadium that currently bears its name.
The Age believes that the communications giant has decided against renewing its massive naming rights sponsorship for the Telstra Dome when the contract expires in 2010.
Telstra is also trying to extricate itself from the contract earlier if possible.
Sports consultancy firm Gemba has been charged with finding a new sponsor to take over the contract and replace Telstra's name above the stadium door.
A spokesman for Telstra said last night that the company did not respond to rumours. "We have a contract in place until 2010 and we are locked into that contract," he said.
But The Age believes that Telstra is so keen to get out of the deal that it is seeking other potential sponsors who are willing to take over the contract. The company's sponsorship of Sydney's former Olympic stadium is also to be dropped.
Gemba Director Rob Mills confirmed the company was advising Telstra about its stadium sponsorships but said that advice was a longstanding arrangement. He would not comment further.
In 2002 Telstra spent $100 million to secure naming rights to the Docklands stadium as well as the former Olympic stadium in Sydney, Telstra Stadium.
The Age believes that Telstra executives now think a costly signage deal is not the "best fit" for such a large pool of marketing money. More targeted campaigns about products and services are likely.
http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/telstra-to-quit-dome/2007/06/26/1182623910149.html
