New Zealand

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has signed a long-term sponsorship and media rights agreement with Pitch International, with the organisation claiming the deal will “safeguard” the future of the sport in the country.

Insurance firm AMI has stepped up its backing of sport in Christchurch by securing the naming rights to the earthquake-ravaged city’s new stadium.

The International Rugby Board (IRB) has insisted that New Zealand’s staging of the 2011 Rugby World Cup exceeded expectations, after revealing encouraging initial financial results for the competition.

The New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) has sealed the biggest sponsorship deal in its history, with Pirtek agreeing terms on a wide-ranging partnership.

John Harnden, the outgoing chief executive of the South Australian Cricket Association (SACA), has been appointed as the CEO of the local organising committee for the 2015 Cricket World Cup.

International Rugby Board (IRB) chairman Bernard Lapasset has praised an "exceptional" Rugby World Cup and admitted New Zealand’s success in hosting this year’s tournament has put the country in the running to stage the event again.

New Zealand Warriors chief executive Wayne Scurrah has played down reports that co-owner Eric Watson is set to sell his stake in the National Rugby League (NRL) club to businessman and philanthropist Owen Glenn.

New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) chief executive Steve Tew has warned that the country’s participation in future editions of the Rugby World Cup could be under threat unless changes are made to the commercial structure of the tournament.

Organisers of the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand are confident ticket sales for the tournament will surpass their target of 1.35 million after announcing that more than three quarters of a million fans had attended the first 28 matches of the competition.

New Zealand Transport Minister Steven Joyce has promised fans they will have a “significantly improved” experience in travelling into Auckland for Rugby World Cup games from this weekend.

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) announced on Tuesday that New Zealand would be the new home of this year’s Champions Trophy after the governing body axed India as the tournament’s host country last week.

The 2011 Rugby World Cup could generate US$1.67 billion for the global sports economy, according to research commissioned by MasterCard Worldwide, a worldwide partner of the International Rugby Board tournament.

New Zealand Rugby World Cup Minister Murray McCully has admitted that “immediate attention” needs to be paid to Auckland’s transport plan for the tournament after hundreds of ticket-holding fans missed out on the opening game of the competition on Friday.

Rugby World Cup organising committee chief Martin Snedden is still confident of hitting the tournament’s sales target even though more than 160,000 tickets remain available.

This year’s Rugby World Cup in New Zealand is set to attract 10,000 more visitors than previously expected when it kicks off next month, according to organising committee chief executive Martin Snedden.

Martin Snedden, the head of the Rugby World Cup organising committee, has declared preparations are on track for the event with just a month remaining before the start of the tournament in New Zealand.