![\"Geely](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/NZRL_Geely_Partnership_Image.webp\")
<\/p>\nWell, well, well \u2013 it looks like New Zealand Rugby League just found itself a shiny new co-pilot. Geely has become NZRL\u2019s first-ever official automotive partner, bringing with it a fleet of electric-hybrid vehicles and a three-year commitment that\u2019s got the wheels spinning nicely.<\/p>\n
The Partnership That\u2019s Going Places<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s cut to the chase: along with slapping a logo on a jersey, Geely is rolling out a twelve-car fleet of its Starray EM-i vehicles across NZRL\u2019s head office and regional associations nationwide. Think of it as rugby league\u2019s new mobility backbone, carrying the game from grassroots communities right through to the elite level.<\/p>\n
The timing couldn\u2019t be better. Coming off a record sales month in September, Geely is clearly riding high, and now it\u2019s channeling that momentum into growing rugby league across Aotearoa. The vehicles will be wrapped in NZRL branding, transforming every car into a moving billboard that turns heads from Auckland to Southland.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Innovation Meets the (ahem) Beautiful Game<\/p>\n
Geely\u2019s Electric Hybrid technology isn\u2019t just a nice-to-have environmental nod, it\u2019s about extending NZRL\u2019s reach into communities with sustainable, efficient transport. In a country that\u2019s increasingly embracing EV technology, Geely\u2019s hybrid approach feels perfectly aligned with New Zealand\u2019s values. The partnership also extends beyond ground transportation. Geely\u2019s logo will feature prominently on the Kiwis\u2019 jersey at the 2026 Rugby League World Cup, putting the brand front and center on rugby league\u2019s biggest global stage.<\/p>\n
More Than Just Sponsorship<\/p>\n
NZRL CEO Andrea Nelson says, \u201cWe\u2019re very excited to welcome Geely to the NZRL wh\u0101nau and look forward to working together, with a shared focus on innovation and performance.\u201d<\/p>\n
This partnership is built on shared values. Both organisations are laser-focused on community connection, resilience, and opportunity. According to NordEast Group General Manager Dane Fisher, \u201cThe values that sit behind rugby league in New Zealand, community, resilience and opportunity, closely mirror what we\u2019re building with Geely.\u201d<\/p>\n
What This Means for the Game<\/p>\n
For rugby league fans, this is genuinely exciting. With three years of partnership ahead, NZRL has secured a partner that\u2019s aligned with its ambition to grow the sport, deepen community connection, and improve access to the game nationwide. Regional associations will be better equipped to reach communities, grassroots programs will benefit from improved mobility, and the Kiwis get backing from a brand with serious pedigree.<\/p>\n
Geely, for context, isn\u2019t messing about either. The brand is a global mainstream electric and hybrid vehicle leader within Geely Auto Group, one of China\u2019s largest automotive groups .In New Zealand, it\u2019s backed by NordEast Vehicle Distributors, a division of the well-established Giltrap Group.<\/p>\n
The Bottom Line<\/p>\n
This partnership represents something refreshing in sports sponsorship: genuine alignment between brand values and organisational mission. It\u2019s not just about visibility \u2013 it\u2019s about practical support that helps rugby league reach further into communities across New Zealand. As vehicles wrapped in NZRL branding hit the roads, they\u2019ll carry more than just administrators and regional representatives; they\u2019ll carry the momentum of a sport that\u2019s clearly on the rise.<\/p>\n
For New Zealand rugby league, that\u2019s a powerful endorsement. And for Geely, it\u2019s a smart investment in a community-focused organization that embodies the kind of resilience and innovation the brand champions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Well, well, well \u2013 it looks like New Zealand Rugby League just found itself a shiny new co-pilot.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":618109,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[111,43,139,69],"class_list":["post-618108","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-new-zealand","tag-new-zealand","tag-news","tag-newzealand","tag-nz"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/618108","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=618108"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/618108\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/618109"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=618108"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=618108"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=618108"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}