Digicel, the fastest growing mobile operator in the Pacific, today announced it’s sponsorship of the Fiji Digicel Cup. Digicel has added Fiji provincial rugby to their growing list of sports sponsorships in the region as the telecommunications giant will take over the naming rights and title sponsorship of Fiji’s main provincial tournament.
Digicel also recently announced title sponsorship of the Vanuatu national cricket side, in addition to title sponsorship of the Fiji 7s, the Papua New Guinean PukPuks, and the Fijian and Papua New Guinean Disabled Athletes teams.
The sponsorship of the Digicel Cup is a two year sponsorship deal and is designed to strengthen support for Fiji rugby at a provincial level. The majority of the sponsorship fee will be passed directly to the 12 provincial teams who participate in the Fiji Cup. Digicel Pacific Ltd chief executive officer, Vanessa Slowey, expressed her delight that Digicel have been able to assist provincial rugby across Fiji,” Digicel always look at ways to offer support at the grassroots level,” Ms Slowey said. “By sponsoring provincial rugby in Fiji, we believe Digicel can make a real difference to many, many people.”
“The sponsorship of the Digicel Cup follows our significant sponsorship of the Digicel Fiji 7s team, who are the current Rugby World Cup 7s champions.”
“The FRU’s main provincial tournament now becomes the Digicel Cup,” FRU chief executive Timoci Tavanavanua said. “And in a landmark move, the majority of this sponsorship with FRU will be passed directly onto the 12 provincial unions participating in the Digicel Cup.”
Tavanavanua said the 12 provincial teams will each receive up to F$13,000 cash as a participation fee, providing they meet the set criteria, and the first prize for winning the 2008 Digicel Cup is now $20,000.
“This is a very important day for Fiji Rugby,” Tavanavanua said. “The provinces are the heart and soul of rugby in Fiji, and this sponsorship from Digicel will be channeled directly to assist each of the 12 provinces that take part.”
The first round of Digicel Cup matches kicked off last weekend with five games being played across the country.
Tags: 7s, cup, digicel, domestic, fees, fiji, grassroots, provinces, provincial, sponsorship
