People's Choice Sports Awards

23 September 2004

Freedom Air Gets Onboard People's Choice Sports Awards

As the naming sponsor for the inaugural People's Choice Sports Awards, Freedom Air is proud to play a role in helping the New Zealand public acknowledge their favourite sporting heroes.

Whether it's a local sports club, school coach or deserving athlete - from early October the nominations will start rolling in to decide who is New Zealand's favourite sports team, coach, sportsman, sportswoman, paralympian and international athlete.

Freedom Air Sales and Marketing Manager Rachel Gardiner says the sponsorship is a natural fit with the values of Freedom's traditional customer base.

"Freedom sees itself as the people's choice of airline which makes the People's Choice Sports Awards a perfect fit for us. We are a fun, friendly and family-orientated company, committed to making air travel affordable for all New Zealanders.

"Our customers are hard working Kiwis that want value for money and like to see those who have worked hard rewarded for their efforts. We're confident these awards will be popular because they're designed to ensure that anyone can get recognised for their sporting achievements - which ever level they play at."

Gardiner says staunch supporters of New Zealand's sporting heroes are also staunch fans of Freedom's really, really small airfares.

"We meet plenty of sports enthusiasts on our flights, particularly when there's a Trans-Tasman feud with our greatest competitors - the Ozzies!"

She says Freedom also sees the sponsorship as an opportunity to reinvest back into the community through the support of Paralympics athletes.

"Proceeds from the Awards will be donated to Paralympics New Zealand and we're proud to be a part of an event that will assist this very talented group of athletes," she says.

Nominations for the awards close October 31 and a weekly show will begin early November showing finalists for each category. This will be broadcast on SKY Sport and simulcast on Radio Sport.

During the final show the winner in each category and viewers will have the chance to vote for the supreme winner who will be announced at the end of the night.

Participants will have the opportunty to win Freedom airfares and award winners will also be presented with travel prizes.

Freedom Air is now operating out of six New Zealand cities including Auckland, Hamilton, Palmerston North, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin so winners will never have to go far to begin their holiday.

Visit www.peopleschoice.co.nz for more information on the Awards and how to nominate your sporting stars.

ENDS

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