For Aotea Electric Canterbury, sponsoring the Canterbury NPC Rugby team wasn't really a business decision, it was just the obvious thing to do.
When the opportunity came up, they said yes. Aotea Security came on board too, and together they committed to a three-year back-of-jersey sponsorship.
In 2011, the Christchurch earthquakes took a lot from the city. Canterbury Rugby lost Lancaster Park, and for a while, the team had no home ground. What followed was a 100-day sprint to get a temporary stadium built, and Aotea Electric Canterbury were right in the thick of it, putting in around 11,000 hours over four and a half weeks on site, delivering all electrical works..
The first game is something the Canterbury team still talks about. They'd helped give Christchurch a genuine moment of joy at a time when the city really needed one.
By 2013, the relationship had grown further. Aotea Electric Canterbury moved from NPC jersey backing to becoming a core Crusaders partner. What followed wasn't your typical sponsorship. Over the years it opened doors, Crusaders players at Cholmondeley Children's Centre for kids' breakfasts, high-performance sessions where coaches like Aaron Webb and Rob Penney sat down with Aotea staff and apprentices to talk culture, leadership and what elite performance actually looks like from the inside.
Ask anyone on the Canterbury team what they value most, and most will give you the same answer: the Crusade with Heart Long Run. It started with Aaron Webb and a small group, including some of the Aotea Electric Canterbury team, running 100 kilometres to raise funds for a sick child.
What began with a handful of people has become one of the most anticipated events on the Aotea Electric Canterbury calendar, staff and families on the track together, kids running laps alongside Crusaders players. Effort over athleticism. It's since expanded into the Aotea Virtual Challenge, open to participants across New Zealand, Australia and the UK, growing from seven participants to around 52 and adding close to 1,000 kilometres to the cause.
Sixteen years supporting Canterbury Rugby. Fourteen of those alongside the Crusaders. As Christchurch and the Crusaders settle into a new era, Aotea Electric Canterbury is looking forward to being part of what comes next.
