Titans look to China for sponsors

[DIEHARD]

Gold Coast Titans chief executive Graham Annesley spends two days in China to woo sponsors

THE Gold Coast Titans have taken their hunt for a new major sponsor to China.

The Titans are without a naming rights sponsor for 2015 after iSelect pulled out of the final two years of its four-year contract.

Titans chief executive Graham Annesley has spent two days in China presenting a sponsorship proposal to a multinational company.

China has a population of more than 1.35 billion and is quickly forging a strong link with the Gold Coast.

Direct flights between Guangzhou and Coolangatta are expected to begin next year, while a Chinatown precinct has been slated for Southport.

The Canberra Raiders’ major sponsor, telecommunications company Huawei, is Chinese and Annesley said he was expecting more international companies to look at sponsoring NRL teams.

“It’s the most populous *nation on earth and the *Chinese economy’s absolutely booming,” he said.

“There’s no reason why there won’t be more (sponsorship) in the future.”

Annesley would not reveal the name of the company or what city it was based in, but said there had been positive discussions.

He made the trip with *Titans business development executive Hamish McLean, who speaks Cantonese and Mandarin.

“It’s too early to say what may or may not come out of it but it’s something we’ve been working on for a few months,” he said.

“It’s been advanced quite a long way over the last few months through phone calls and an advertising agency that deals with them.

“We now have to continue talking to them since we’ve had a formal presentation.”

Losing iSelect was a major blow for the Titans, who have had a tumultuous season.

They’ve slumped from equal first to 13th on the ladder, with foundation coach John Cartwright and club founder Michael Searle last week *resigning.

An internal review of the club’s operations is being conducted and forthcoming changes have created optimism around the club after four lean seasons.

Locally-based international company Global Road Technology this week signed on as an upper-back-of-jersey sponsor for the remainder of the season and Annesley said he was confident the club would boast an impressive sponsorship portfolio in 2015.

http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/sport/nrl/

[DIEHARD]

Should have called me and Titanic, we are the Chinese connection.

[kioli]

Makes sense, esp with the GC's Chinatown development I guess.

Exhibition game against Canberra in China in 2016?

[Mexican titan]

Makes sense, esp with the GC's Chinatown development I guess.

Exhibition game against Canberra in China in 2016?

Manly are supposedly slotted in for that game v Canberra. Some arrangement between Canberra's sponsor and Manly's (Kaspersky), although they have been talking about it for two years now.

[TITAN PETE]

As long as they are handing out big cheques what ever their name or brand is that will be fine but I won't be rushing to buy a New Jersey if it's a brand like Great Wall ..

[Titanic]

a lot of quality companies in China

[DIEHARD]

Gold Coast Titans close to deal with Chinese sponsor worth over $1 million

THE Titans are close to signing their biggest sponsorship deal, with a Chinese company mulling over a $1 million package.

Gold Coast chief executive Graham Annesley hopes to finalise a multi-year, seven-figure contract after a four-day trip to China.

Annesley is also in talks with a second Asian firm, with the proposed corporate backing to help revive the Titans as an NRL force after years of financial struggle.

Departed coach John Cartwright last week spoke of the Titans’ battle to compete with Sydney-based rivals bankrolled by leagues club funding and wealthy benefactors.

The Titans’ blueprint to hit back as a powerhouse suffered a further blow two weeks ago when major sponsor iSelect rescinded the final two years of its contract.

Gold Coast’s move into Asia could deliver a significant capital injection.

Annesley was tight-lipped about the identity of the Chinese company, but he confirmed the Titans are within striking distance of a club-record sponsorship arrangement.

“What we’re looking for from either company is a seven-figure deal for a number of years,” Annesley said.

“We want it finalised as quickly as possible but because it involves big dollars they aren’t simple deals to get across the line.

“We are well advanced with both of these organisations and I’m hopeful we will get a result soon, but I can’t guarantee it until the ink is on the dotted line.’’

Despite former Super League boss John Ribot’s grand vision to sell rugby league to China, the country of 1.3 billion people is oblivious to the NRL.

Canberra currently have a sponsorship deal with Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei and Annesley said the Asian firms’ interest in the Titans is genuine.

“The head executive we met with in China could speak English and he said he was a big fan of rugby as he called it,’’ he said.

“He made the point he liked the speed of the game and the physical nature of the game. He was impressed by the presentation, we just have to see if we finish anything off.

“The trip was important because we have been negotiating with this company for a couple of months.

“We had to get in front of them and give a formal presentation and we are now in the process of following that up to see if we can get anything across the line.

“The other company has offices in Australia and while they are a multi-national company based in Asia, they have a big presence here.

“We have a few balls in the air and hopefully one or two will land in the not too distant future.’’

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/nrl/

[karnage]

With the current positivity around about the Titans this sort of deal would be a home run.

[Titanic Believer]

I hope they make clear that they are talking Rugby League not Union. Most east Asians I meet only know one type of Rugby and that's Union........

[ozynorts]

I hope they make clear that they are talking Rugby League not Union. Most east Asians I meet only know one type of Rugby and that's Union........

If a company is willing to part with the sort of cash a multi year sponsorship would entail and doesn't do it's due diligence on the product they are sponsoring that is not the fault of the club. The club would have presented themselves as the Gold Coast Titans, a team that play in the National Rugby League in Australia.

[Mexican titan]

Rugby Union wouldn't be interested in any company out of China. They are only interested in Mercedes, Audi, JM Williams etc.
I hope this deal comes off.

[Titanic]

I am in Taiwan writing the final parts of a 500 million 20 year contract right now … let me tell you something about the Chinese, they like to deal with winners and ranking means everything to them … Annersley and the Titans are small bikkies to these guys and they might just throw a bit the Titans way if they want some leverage in Australia and the Coast in particular … certainly they won't give two hoots about the sport just the opportunity … the upside is they will not interfere with the club and the downside …? they are results driven and that is hardly our strong point … interesting times.

[DavidBouveng]

i heard it might be phone maker HTC? is that possible? i have no idea if that is a chinese group

[Titan4Life]

Wonder how this is going. Haven't heard any updates in last few days. Hopefully gets wrapped up soon.

- - - Updated - - -

i heard it might be phone maker HTC? is that possible? i have no idea if that is a chinese group

I did some research (google search haha) and found out HTC is a Chinese company located in Taiwan.