World Junior Squash Sponsor Named!
Sep 19, 2005
High profile international sporting goods manufacturer PRINCE has signed on as the major naming rights sponsor for the 2006 World Junior Men's Squash Championships to take place in Palmerston North, New Zealand from July 17th – 28th 2006.
PRINCE has confirmed its support for the event, after a visit by company officials to the central North Island city earlier in the year
Mike Ricketts (Managing Director – Prince Asia Pacific) and Geoff Owen (Prince NZ) inspected the venues for the Championships, including Arena 2 where an all glass championship court will be based for the duration of the tournament.
The inspection also included a visit to event headquarters SquashGym Palmerston North, along with several other city attractions.
World Junior Men's Squash Championships organising committee chairperson Grant Smith is thrilled PRINCE has signed on. “PRINCE is one of the world's leading manufacturers of tennis, squash and badminton merchandise, and we are so proud they have chosen the World Junior Men's Squash Championships as one of their marketing/sponsorship options.”
Smith says it's also a major coup to seal a naming sponsor a year out from the event. “It allows PRINCE to leverage numerous promotional opportunities prior to the championships and also helps the event gather sponsorship momentum as an event of this magnitude would not happen without sponsorship support”.
Meanwhile, the World Squash Federation has also made two key appointments for the Championships.
Former Director of Refereeing Jocelyn Urbahn has been appointed as Championship Referee, and Stu Baker has been appointed as Championship Director. Baker is new to squash, but has extensive events experience in his role as Event Director with Sport Manawatu. He was the brains behind the Palmy Army campaign during the recent Lions rugby tour to New Zealand.
The 15th World Junior Men's Squash Championship is expected to attract up to 300 international visitors from 32 competing nations. The event has an estimated economic impact of approximately $7m and carries an event budget of well over $500,000.
PRINCE representatives look over the finals venue (Arena Manawatu) for the world Squash Championships, left to right, Geoff Owen (Prince NZ), Grant Smith (Chair, 2006 WJC committee) and Mike Ricketts (Prince International).