Championz game with $25,000 in prizes

Monday 17 May

Championz game with $25,000 in prizes at stake underway!

Game aims to build business skills in young Pacific Island students

The new web-based sports business game, Championz, kicks off today. "Registrations have been pouring in since early April," says The Small Business Company Ltd's Managing Director, Glen Senior. "We've been overwhelmed with the response to our recent marketing efforts and have therefore decided to allow registrations to continue after the start of the game on Monday."

Bernice Mene 'Ambassador' for the Championz game

Former Silver Ferns captain Bernice Mene, an 'ambassador' for the game, says: "I'm looking forward to being a part of Championz-it's an exciting initiative for enterprise development in New Zealand."

The aim of the web-based game is to get teenagers interested in business, says The Small Business Company Ltd Managing Director, Glen Senior. "We expect Championz to appeal to wide range of students. In particular, we're hoping it will bring in young Pacific Island students who are interested in sports but might not have thought they could have a career in business."

The Championz business game is open to students aged 11 to 19, at no cost to them or their school. Teams of students will each be given a "virtual" $2 million to invest in a professional sports franchise in either the netball or sevens disciplines.

They will have to develop business plans, contract virtual players, 'sell' television rights and sponsorship deals, develop marketing strategies, and compete in an online sports tournament - with their on-field results dependent on how well they run their business. Teams that achieve the best business results in the game will win prizes from a pool totalling $25,000.

New Zealand Trade and Enterprise is supporting Championz with funding from its Enterprise Culture and Skills Activities Fund - a contestable fund used to support the development of a culture of business and enterprise in New Zealand by co-funding projects that help develop enterprising skills and attitudes among New Zealanders.

As well as receiving funding from NZTE, Championz sponsors include the New Zealand Institute of Sport, The Radio Network, Champions of the World, Aoraki Polytechnic, The National Bank of New Zealand, The Institute of Chartered Accountants, Microsoft, Kodak and Icebreaker.

Championz has been developed by Christchurch's The Small Business Company Ltd which specialises in helping small and medium-sized companies operate more effectively and profitably. It provides training - either through seminars or the internet - as well as CD-ROMS and books.

ENDS

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