Basketball New Zealand

Phil Jones (Photosport)

Pete McNae, The Nelson Mail
The Nelson Giants are back in business. After a brief, but intensive, search for a new naming sponsor, the national basketball league franchise today announced an agreement with Nelson firm Fico Finance.

While the Giants had cut their cloth to compete in this year’s NBL season, which starts next month, the team’s longer-term viability was at risk without a naming sponsor. Those fears have been alleviated with the five-year commitment from Fico Finance.

The heart of the firm was created in 1987 by former banker and Nelson motor vehicle dealer Brent Ferguson and his brother, Bill. Initially it was known as Waimea Finance and primarily dealt with car loans. A director on the company’s board, former appliance retailer Geoff Lawes, later founded Fico Finance Ltd and the two businesses merged to create the Fico Finance Group in 2004.

Brent Ferguson is now the group’s chairman, Bill Ferguson handles administration, while Lawes is the chief executive officer.

Lawes had considered taking naming rights for the Nelson Giants in the past but decided the time wasn’t right for his company then. When the Nelson Mail ran a story last week detailing the basketball franchise’s situation, Lawes and his colleagues acted quickly.

“I’d seen the story and so had Geoff. We got on the phone and talked it over from a few angles and the deal was basically done and dusted in the space of two days,” said Scott Dodd, an executive director and general manager with Fico. “The last time it had been considered, we weren’t in a position to step up but this time all our posts were in a line and we took what we saw as a fantastic opportunity.”

Dodd said the Giants’ profile and image were attractive.

“I’m from England and, for the most part, you never get near your sporting heroes. With the Nelson Giants, you see the guys in town, you can bowl up and chat to them, they have this great relationship going with the fans, especially the kids, after their games … they are very much part of this community and that’s where we see Fico, too.”

Giants franchise owner Nenad Vucinic, who is currently coaching in Turkey, had always favoured aligning the team with a Nelson company. Although the Giants organisation has begun to look further afield, marketing manager James King said it was a “huge bonus” to come to terms with a local firm.

“They have an investment in Nelson and so do we. Both parties have a strong connection to this city and we feel like we can represent Fico well and vice versa,” he said.

“It’s been a testing time for finance companies and we’ve seen a number go under but Fico has stood the test of time because of its strong base in Nelson. “They’ve been around for more than 20 years and this is the 21st season of the Nelson team operating as the Giants, so we both have a strong history here.”

The Giants had been contemplating life on a very tight budget prior to the naming rights being sold but King said they would now have the freedom to add “a few extras” for players and fans. The strong roster already assembled by head coach Chris Tupu would remain intact with contracted players accepting less than market value to play in Nelson.

Dodd said that Fico Finance’s first major foray into sponsorship was already being viewed as a positive for the company, three weeks out from the season opener.

“We’re in good shape and we feel we are ready to channel something back to the Nelson community.

“I think it’s important to stress that we’re not interested in doing this for a year, getting the team to adopt logos, change uniforms, start to build a relationship, then bailing out on them.

“We have committed to a five-year term and we see it bringing real benefits for ourselves and the Giants.”

The Fico Finance Nelson Giants will roll out their new name at the Southern Showcase tournament in Christchurch on February 19-20.

The pre-season event will see the Giants take on the Christchurch Cougars, Otago Nuggets and Southland Sharks.