SEB takes its Next Generation tennis sponsoring platform to Norway through an agreement with Norges Tennisforbund (Norwegian tennis association). The agreement runs through 2013, with an option to extend it further.
Existing and new players will get improved development opportunities as the concept is launched through clubs and regions around Norway. The goal is to achieve a greater breadth of talented players in Norwegian tennis.
SEB initially developed the Next Generation concept in cooperation with the Swedish tennis association a few years ago and has since brought it to Denmark together with the national tennis association there.
“SEB wants to make the Next Generation initiative a pan-Nordic effort. We already contribute financially and with frameworks to a good development programme in Denmark and Sweden that has proved very successful. Now we include Norway in this programme,” says William Paus, head of SEB in Norway.
He says SEB Next Generation and other sponsorship efforts helps the bank add positive values to the brand in the target groups, and in addition it creates another platform for meeting customers.
SEB is active in tennis since 90 years back and the bank’s Norwegian unit picking up the sport for its sponsoring efforts is a logical consequence of the group-wide sponsoring strategy. Tennis is currently SEB’s main sports sponsoring vehicle, and complements classical music in the culture area and the Mentor programme in the social responsibility area.
Per Wright, president of the Norwegian tennis association, and SEB’s Paus are very pleased with the agreement.
“Through SEB Next Generation, Norwegian tennis will experience its largest push to develop youth so far. Existing and new players will get better development opportunities when we take the concept to local clubs and regions. The goal is to achieve a greater breadth of talented players in Norwegian tennis,” says Per Wright, head of the Norwegian tennis association.