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The Co-operative aims for half a million Netball Olympic Bid Supporters
11th October 2008
As part of The Co-operative’s bid to have netball played at the Olympic Games, the largest community retailer in the UK is asking its customers to support the campaign by voting in their in-store ‘chip and pin’ survey, where The Co-operative is aiming to smash the 500,000 supporters barrier. The bid already has the support of Prime Minister, Gordon Brown - who has indicated his desire for netball to become a demonstration sport at the London 2012 Olympics.
Celebrities have also backed the campaign, including Dame Kelly Holmes, former England and Manchester United football captain Bryan Robson, and rugby league stars Robbie Paul and Jon Wilkin. They have joined almost 30,000 members of an official Facebook group and over 230,000 people who previously registered their support with The Co-operative.
For one week from this Sunday (12th October), visitors to any of the 2,238 Co-operative Food stores across the country will be given the opportunity to add their support to the campaign through a simple ‘chip and pin’ question: ‘We would like to see netball in the Olympics. Agree?’.
The ‘chip and pin’ activity coincides with the launch of The Co-operative Netball Superleague 2008/2009 which is taking place in Exchange Square, Manchester this Saturday (11 th October). Because of this event, customers visiting The Co-operative Food store on Corporation Street, Manchester City Centre will be able to register their support for the netball Olympic bid on the chip and pin machines a day early.
The new season starts on Thursday 23 October with Northern Thunder taking on Team Northumbria live on Sky Sports. Netball is the most popular women’s team sport in the world, with over one million women and girls playing every week in the UK, and 20 million across 70 countries globally. Despite this popularity netball is not classed as a participation sport in the Olympics, despite being regularly played at the Commonwealth Games.
Debbie Robinson, Director of Food Retail Marketing at The Co-operative, said: “ Inclusion as an Olympic sport will make a real difference to the 1 million women who regularly play this fantastic game. Together, we can make a massive difference to sport and people playing netball can fulfil their dreams by shooting for Gold at the Olympic Games.”
Contact Mavericks: information@mavericksnetball.co.uk
Last Updated:
11 October, 2008
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