basketball – rnzngin Fifth Estate

Source: BNZ statements

BNZ says “To celebrate the BNZ Kāhu making women’s sporting history, it’s our shout.”

Less than a week before women’s basketball season tips off, in a bid to increase access to the hotly contested Tauihi season, BNZ has announced that BNZ Kāhu fans attending home games in Auckland and Whangārei won’t have to pay for general admission tickets.

Last week, the championship franchise revealed BNZ Kāhu’s all-female ownership team of Jo Caird, Jody Cameron, “Georgie” Paula George, Rachel Howard, and Dani Marshall, making New Zealand’s top women’s basketball team the first sports team in the world to be fully owned, managed, and coached by women.

“The feedback we have been getting from across Aotearoa New Zealand has been extraordinary. Our mission is to celebrate and grow our passionate community of fans by making women’s sports more accessible and family-friendly,” says co-owner Jo Caird.

“That all starts at home, where we want our fans to turn Eventfinda Stadium and Whangārei McKay Stadium Kensington into our fortresses. And what better way than a sold-out stadium stacked with screaming BNZ Kāhu fans,” says co-owner “Georgie” Paula George.

Starting this Sunday, when BNZ Kāhu hosts Dunedin’s Southern Hoiho for the first game of the season, BNZ Kāhu fans will be “shouted” their tickets by the team’s naming sponsor, Bank of New Zealand.

“We were already absolutely stoked to have BNZ as a key partner and supporter. And we were committed to welcoming overlooked communities and reimagining the possibilities. Turning that commitment into a reality is so much easier when you have partners like the team at BNZ who believe with you,” says co-owner Dani Marshall.

“It’s an absolute no-brainer,” says BNZ’s Executive Corporate and Institutional Banking Penny Ford.

“What better way to celebrate this groundbreaking team of leaders than by giving them and the brilliant players they support a home stadium filled with passionate fans – all season long,” she says.

BNZ Kāhu fans who have already purchased general admission tickets will have the option to refund their purchase price or transfer that purchase into admission into a brand-new Kāhu Supporters Club.

“Those early bird ticket holders will be some of our most passionate fans. We can’t wait to see them on Sunday,” says co-owner and coach Jody Cameron.

Sunday 6 October – BNZ Kāhu hosts Southern Hoiho at Eventfinda Stadium.
General Admission tickets to six BNZ Kāhu regular-season home games will be available for free at www.eventfinda.co.nz starting Tuesday 1 October.

The post To celebrate the BNZ Kāhu making women’s sporting history, BNZ gifts home game tickets to fans appeared first on BNZ Debrief.

Source: BNZ statements

The New Zealand Breakers, the country’s top professional basketball team, are set to embark on a new chapter as the BNZ Breakers, thanks to a new naming rights partnership with the Bank of New Zealand (BNZ). The naming rights partnership was announced in Auckland this morning.

In addition, BNZ is joining forces with Kiwi Hoops, Basketball New Zealand’s junior basketball programme, to help grow the sport at the grass roots level and foster the next generation of talent. These partnerships come hot on the heels of the bank’s naming rights sponsorship of the BNZ Northern Kāhu women’s basketball team, confirmed last month.

BNZ CEO Dan Huggins says the bank is thrilled to back the Breakers and further cement its support for the sport. “From nurturing young talent in Kiwi Hoops, to bolstering women’s basketball with the Northern Kāhu, and now backing the premier professional team, the BNZ Breakers, our support is generational.”

“Through these partnerships, we want to inspire the next generation and provide resources and opportunities that will help grow the sport, promote physical health, and foster a sense of community. We’re looking forward to seeing the positive ripple effects of these partnerships, from the school playground to the professional court.”

Matt Walsh, majority owner of the Breakers, welcomed the new partnership. “We’re delighted to partner with BNZ, an organisation that shares our passion and commitment to basketball and the positive role it plays in schools and communities across Aotearoa. This partnership will provide us with the support to continue our success on the court and expand our programmes in the community.”

“Our captain Tom Abercrombie is a shining example of how the Breakers is a pathway for local players to create a career out of basketball. Tom went to school less than four kilometres from our club headquarters on Auckland’s North Shore and has travelled the world playing across the globe.

“Next month he will play his record 400th game for the Breakers in our opening game of the season against the Cairns Taipans at Spark Arena.”

The BNZ Breakers are actively involved in a range of community outreach initiatives, including their Champions Programme, teaching children aged 5-12 years about goal setting, nutrition, active lifestyles, and basketball fundamentals.

Kiwi Hoops

Kiwi Hoops is the Basketball New Zealand junior basketball programme. It aims to introduce the sport to young people, foster a love for the game, and develop skills. The partnership with BNZ will support the expansion of the programme, which already reaches 26,000 kids per year, to engage even more young people across New Zealand.

Dillon Boucher, CEO of Basketball New Zealand, says, “By partnering with BNZ, we can expand our reach and impact, providing more opportunities for young Kiwis to engage with basketball. This partnership will not only help us grow the sport at the grassroots level, but also build a strong foundation for the future of basketball in New Zealand by developing the next generation of players.”

Huggins concludes, “At BNZ, we’re committed to growing the social, cultural and financial wellbeing of New Zealanders, and believe in the power of sport to bring people together and inspire positive change. We’re proud to be part of the journey of basketball in New Zealand, and we can’t wait to see where these partnerships take us.”

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