New Zealand Rugby CEO Mark Robinson with All Black legend Sean Fitzpatrick and Lars Lamade, head of global sponsorships at SAP.
New Zealand Rugby is embarking on multi-year partnership with SAP to transform all areas of the rugby union's business.
The deal will see SAP become an official premium global partner, official technology partner and the official cloud software partner to the teams in Black.
The two organisations will collaborate to identify and implement cloud solutions from SAP and connect data across the business to provide a competitive advantage on and off the field.
The partnership will see NZR use SAP solutions across four key areas: creating an integrated management system to run and enhance its operations, elevating the fan experience, enabling the organisation’s sustainability goals, and exploring how the use of data and solutions can support team performance.
A digital hub of SAP solutions aims to allow NZR to use its off-field systems and data to better support on-field teams. The union intends to elevate the employee experience and empower employees by implementing SAP SuccessFactors and establishing a single source of HR data.
“NZR is undertaking a large digital transformation which really needs the support and expertise of a global technology organisation to help us achieve our vision of becoming the most technologically advanced rugby union in the world," said Angela Nash, NZR chief information and technology officer.
Scott Russell, an executive board member for customer success at SAP said New Zealand Rugby has set an ambitious goal of becoming the most technologically advanced rugby union in the world.
"As the organisation’s first-ever technology partner, SAP can help NZR meet this goal by driving digital transformation across all areas of the business and introducing game-changing technologies that will help NZR teams run at their best – and win," he said.
SAP and NZR will also place emphasis on developing additional programmes and initiatives that promote and celebrate diversity and inclusion.
Through the partnership, SAP will receive various rights and benefits including branding and signage in-stadium and on-field for NZR managed matches, branding across all digital platforms, player appearances and exclusive team and player experiences.
In 2019, NZR selected the Play in the Grey analytics platform, developed by Wellington-based Amazon partner Intela AI and data science company DOT Loves Data, to gain deeper insights into the game and improve team performance.
NZR’s teams include the All Blacks, Black Ferns, All Blacks Sevens, Black Ferns Sevens, Māori All Blacks, All Blacks XV and All Blacks Under-20.
