Hockey Assn Upset About Lack Of Publicity

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32119, 15 October 1969, Page 16

Hockey Assn Upset About Lack Of Publicity

Dissatisfaction with the publicity given to the New Zealand men’s inter-provincial hockey tournament at Christchurch last month and plans to stage a publicity campaign to boost the sport’s image in the province were subjects discussed at great length during last evening’s meeting of the Canterbury association. The association decided to write to the Minister of Broadcasting (Mr AdamsSchneider) complaining about the non-televising of the inter-provincial final between Canterbury and Wellington. Arrangements to televise the final had been approved by the local and national sections of the N.Z.B.C. but had been "turned down at top level,” Mr I. Wilson said - z.r rn T The chairman (Mr T. I. Crossen) said that when the association had been informed of this it was too late to make a further approach. He said that the final would surely rank far above college Rugby” telecasts.

Moving that the Minister be told, Mr E. J. Ambler said: "There is only one way to get to these jokers—through the boss.” Mr D. Lloyd said that the tournament had had “poor press coverage” when compared with the “weeks and weeks” of build-up for the Ranfurly Shield match. After commenting that the tournament "got something but you had to hunt for it,’ Mr Lloyd said that interested persons had to “ring around the city to find out what was going on.” The association fell down on two aspects of the tournament, finance and publicity, and must take some of the blame, said Mr Crossen. Mr Wilson said there had been insufficient advertising. “Perhaps we should brag more about our successes. We held the Challenge Shield on a challenge basis from 1948 until 1954 and between 1955 and 1969 we won nine of the 13 inter-provincial tournaments ,a fairly substantial record,” said Mr Crossen. Hockey had been Canterbury’s most successful winter

sport over the last 20 years, he said. “Our playing strength is reasonably well known: we have to uplift our image.” Methods of conducting the publicity campaign before the start of the 1970 season suggested by Mr Crossen included slogans, a brochure “to make the city aware that we are looking for new players and new facilities,” and a supporters’ club composed of present players and former players and officials, to be administered distinct from the association.

“What have we got to offer new players?” asked Mr J. Bate. “Rugby, Rugby league and soccer can probably offer them more. If you play Rugby league they give you a jersey and a pair of socks. Not one hockey club can really say that it is an active club.” It was the responsibility of the clubs to obtain and keep players with the assistance of the association, said Mr Crossen.

Clubs will be asked to go back through their records to provide names of former players who may be interested in joining a supporters’ club. A public relations subcommittee, comprising Messrs H. A. Kerrigan (convener). L. Haste, Lloyd and L. D. Currie, was also formed to prepare a campaign.