Dick Smith problems 'won't impact' NRL Nines tournament

Fans enjoy the festivities at the NRL Auckland Nines. Photo / Brett Phibbs

The organisers of the Dick Smith NRL Nines rugby league tournament to be held at Eden Park next month say the event will go ahead as scheduled.

However, Martin Snedden, the chief executive of Duco Events - who have run the tournament since its inception two years ago - say his company are still owed money by the Australasian electronics company.

Duco Events has a five-year naming rights contract with Dick Smith, which today went into receivership, and Sneddon said his company would contact the receivers regarding the money owed for this year, and whether Dick Smith would continue to sponsor the event. Dick Smith paid a sum to Duco Events every year for the naming rights.

"It will have no impact whatsoever on our ability to put on a great tournament on Waitangi Day," Snedden said.

"We'll contact the receivers but they've got bigger things to worry about than us at the moment. We've got plenty of time to wait for the dust to settle. What's happened is a real shame because Dick Smith have been a great partner and supporter of the NRL Nines."

Dick Smith's sponsorship, along with support from, among others, Auckland Council's events arm ATEED, allows the organisers to offer a winner's cheque of A$500,000 ($577,000) from the total prize pool of A$2.25 million.

All of the NRL's 16 clubs are contractually obliged to attend the two-day tournament, which starts this year on Waitangi Day, February 6.

The event will be held in Auckland until at least 2018, with other cities, most notably Sydney, also keen to host it.