England Hockey looks for new sponsor
UPDATE: England Hockey is hunting for a replacement sponsor for Slazenger following the end of a three-year-deal. The sportswear brand has now signed a deal with Scottish Hockey.
Slazenger has decided not to renew its sponsorship of the sport when it expires at the end of August this year. The sport now needs a title sponsor for the English Hockey leagues and the package will allow access to the top 80 clubs and their members.
Slazenger’s has sponsored English Hockey for the past three years, during which time the England teams have progressed in the FIH World Rankings, where the men are now sixth and the women eighth in the world.
Slazenger’s deal with Scottish Hockey runs until September 2011 and the deal will provide funds to develop Scotland’s youth programmes and give additional support to selected players.
Slazenger’s funding for year one has been matched by sportsmatch through sportscotland.
Last year Slazenger extended its sponsorship of England cricketer Paul Collingwood for a further three years.
Nick Fox, team sports commercial manager at Slazenger says: “The England Hockey sponsorship has helped us to significantly rejuvenate the Slazenger Hockey brand over the past three years but has now run its course in terms of our objectives.”
Sally Munday, chief executive of England Hockey, says: “We greatly appreciate Slazenger’s support but this now gives the sport a positive opportunity to combine the England title sponsorship with that of Great Britain to offer a new sponsor a four year promotional opportunity with the major dual gender Olympic team sport to 2012 and beyond.”