Choice Hotels Hits a Six for NZ Cricket

Choice Hotels is helping the New Zealand Cricket Players’ Association get more runs on the board with a sponsorship that helps boost the game in towns and cities throughout New Zealand.

Aileen Cobern, general manager of sales and marketing, announced the national sponsorship at the Choice Hotels annual conference, held in Melbourne today, running through until Wednesday 2 September.

The sponsorship would help the association meet its purpose of “serving New Zealand’s professional cricketers, both past and present”, said Ms Cobern.

“Under the Comfort, Quality and Clarion brands, Choice Hotels has properties in 18 centres in New Zealand, from Paihia in the north to Invercargill in the south. By making these properties available through the sponsorship, we are helping the NZ Cricket Players’ Association spread a love of the game throughout the country.”

Two programmes will particularly benefit from the sponsorship. The Hooked on Cricket programme focuses on taking cricket to low-decile schools throughout the country and giving children who might otherwise never encounter the game a chance to get involved.

Last season professional cricketers travelled to schools in South Auckland, Rotorua, New Plymouth, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin, introducing cricket to more than 1400 students. Children attending the Hooked on Cricket Day are also eligible for a Hooked on Cricket scholarship, which pays their fees to join a cricket club.

As well as providing accommodation for players involved in this series, Choice Hotels will also be providing accommodation for players involved in the annual Masters Series. This brings together teams of former first-class and international cricketers to take world-class skills to locations that may not have experienced them before.

They will visit six New Zealand locations, providing a coaching programme and a T20 game at each venue.

“By sponsoring the NZ Cricket Players’ Association, Choice Hotels is making it possible for players to promote and contribute to cricket in provincial New Zealand, and take the game to many regions of the country,” said Ms Cobern.

“It also completes our trans-Tasman cricket partnership, as Choice Hotels signed a partnership agreement with the Australian Cricketers’ Association just last year.”

Glen Sulzberger, business development manager for the NZ Cricket Players’ Association, said Choice Hotels would provide great value to the association.

“We were looking for a hotel partner with a presence in provincial areas of New Zealand as well as the main centres. We wanted a respected and well-known brand, and a partner that understands the value of cricket to New Zealand.

“We are excited to have discovered in Choice Hotels a very exciting and vibrant organisation that shares our attributes and values. We are looking forward to working with the staff and the franchise owners to spread the love of cricket throughout the country.”

ENDS

© Scoop Media