One New Zealand extend record-breaking Warriors sponsorship
The Telco has backed the club since 1999.
One New Zealand has extended its partnership with the One New Zealand Warriors beyond three decades, tonight announcing it has renewed its sponsorship for another five years to the end of the 2031 NRL season.
The announcement was made at the Warriors’ 2026 season launch at the new One NZ support office in Auckland’s Wynyard Quarter.
The extension was also revealed on social media via a tongue-in-cheek video featuring Warriors CEO Cameron George and One New Zealand counterpart Jason Paris, referencing the latter’s infamous 2023 tweet lambasting the referees during the Warriors’ loss to Penrith in Magic Round.
“Are you kidding me? How biased are the @NRL bunker and referees against the @NZWarriors? Have they got money on them to lose? It’s like we are permanently against 14 on the field and they want us to play with 12,” Paris wrote in the tweet.
“Imagine how the team feel - three games in 11 days and then this rubbish. Cheating of the highest order,” Paris also replied to a user’s tweet.
Pulled up by the NRL, Paris later unreservedly apologised for the comments - which inadvertently earned him cult status among the Warriors fanbase.
The company then known as Vodafone came on-board during a tumultuous period for the then-Auckland Warriors but has stuck solid ever since. Vodafone purchased BellSouth’s New Zealand operations in 1998 and struck a deal late that year, around the same time Auckland Rugby League’s clubs sold the Warriors to the ‘Rugby League People’ consortium of Graham Lowe, Malcolm Boyle and the Tainui tribe.
Coming onboard at a low ebb, Vodafone/One New Zealand have ridden many glittering highs and harrowing lows with the Warriors, providing unconditional support throughout. Every Warriors jersey since 1999 has been adorned with the Vodafone or One New Zealand logo, breaking the premiership record set by St George’s 1977-95 relationship with Penfold’s Wines.
The sponsorship was threatened in 2020 - while the Warriors were jettisoned in Australia by COVID-19 - when the NRL, backed by Telstra, informed the club it could no longer have Vodafone as its naming rights sponsor. Telstra relented amid understandable backlash and sympathy for the beleaguered Warriors.
“For almost 30 years, we’ve stood shoulder to shoulder with the One NZ Warriors through the highs, the heartbreaks and everything in between,” said One NZ CEO Jason Paris.
“We’re stoked to announce we’re extending that partnership for another five years.
“What started as a sponsorship has grown into a partnership built on loyalty, belief and having each other’s back when it matters most.
“The Warriors bring New Zealanders together across regions, cultures and generations. Extending for another five years is our vote of confidence in the club, the players, the fans and the future of the game in Aotearoa, New Zealand.
“We’re building something special with the One NZ Warriors. We’re proud to keep backing them, and we want to thank the fans for backing the team and for backing us.”
The Warriors revealed these numbers to underline that the company has been tied with the club for all but its first four seasons:
For 670 of the club’s total of 755 NRL matches the Vodafone and One New Zealand name has been on the Warriors’ jersey with that number now set to swell to well beyond 800 by the end of 2031.
Of the Warriors’ 294 NRL players across 31 seasons so far, 256 have represented the club during the Vodafone-One New Zealand era while hundreds more have also worn the sponsor’s name in NRL trials, the New South Wales Cup and various junior competitions.
“Since 1999, Vodafone and the Warriors have gone hand in hand like no other sponsor in New Zealand sport,” said One NZ Warriors CEO Cameron George.
“When we started our relationship the great Stacey Jones was the face of the team and here is today still with us as a coach and as passionate as ever about the club.
“Through One NZ’s unconditional support we’ve been able to create career opportunities for a legion of players, coaches and staff as well as providing a team and a club our fans can be proud off.
“At a time like this it’s impossible to find the right words to capture One NZ’s level of commitment and to now announce another five-year agreement is nothing short of phenomenal. Incredible. We say thank you and thank you again to Jason and your team at One NZ.”