Hyundai To Drive TV2's SPORTSCAFE

23 JANUARY 2004
Hyundai To Drive TV2's SPORTSCAFE

Hyundai Automotive New Zealand (HANZ) announced today it has secured naming rights for TV2's popular show, SPORTSCAFE.

Replacing Lion Red as naming sponsor for the show, HANZ has signed a one-year deal with TVNZ for HYUNDAI SPORTSCAFE, with an automatic right of renewal.

HANZ general manager, Philip Eustace, said the relationship between Hyundai and SPORTSCAFE presents ideal synergies for the business.

"The HYUNDAI SPORTSCAFE relationship is a perfect fit with the direction we are taking our brand.

"Sponsoring a television show - especially something like HYUNDAI SPORTSCAFE - is something completely different for us, but Hyundai is about being bold and different in an automotive market that doesn't usually take risks.

"We're very excited to be working with Ric [Salizzo] and the rest of the HYUNDAI SPORTSCAFE," said Eustace.

HYUNDAI SPORTSCAFE presenter, Ric Salizzo says the team spent considerable time researching Hyundai's offerings before deciding it was the perfect brand to take naming rights to the show.

"In the true tradition of sports broadcasting, we were pretty keen to get a couple of new cars for the year and quite liked the look of the Santa Fe for carrying our surfboards, so we approached Hyundai.

"But seriously, it will be great having a new sponsor as we move into our ninth season. It's fantastic to see one of the biggest car companies in the world joining one of the most popular shows in the world.

"The only condition was that I take driving lessons before they let me take one of their cars onto a public road, " said Salizzo.

Lion Breweries said that after reviewing its sponsorship commitments, as done so on an annual basis, it decided not to continue its naming rights sponsorship of Sportscafé but will remain the official beer of the show and is glad to be involved with Hyundai.

"We have had great success sponsoring Sports Café, particularly after we took it to TV2," said Lion Red marketing manager, Stephen Smith, it has been and still is a great brand fit for Lion Red ."

"TVNZ is delighted to be forming this relationship with Hyundai," says TVNZ business development manager for sport, Alistair Duff.

" We look forward to working together in further developing HYUNDAI SPORTSCAFE, which is a key programme in TV2's line-up for 2004."

Filmed live at Auckland's Float bar, HYUNDAI SPORTSCAFE's first show for 2004 will screen on TV2 in February.

ENDS

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