Telstra will allow the Warriors to extend their Vodafone sponsorship after their 22-year partnership threatened to be ended early.

The Warriors appeared destined to lose their major sponsor on Tuesday, due to a conflict with the Telstra’s exclusive naming-rights deal with the NRL.

The two major telcos have been at loggerheads for years over the matter, with both having been involved in the sport for more than two decades.

The matter came to a head on Tuesday with Vodafone announcing it would be reluctantly withdrawing its sponsorship with two years left to run on a deal worth about $1 million per season.

However, Telstra later responded by acknowledging the Warriors’ efforts to keep the 2020 season alive and not wanting to harm them financially.

“Our sporting clubs are feeling the pinch right now and many, like the Warriors, have stepped up to support their fans and the games,” a Telstra statement read.

“While our naming rights sponsorship is a big investment from us in the game and should be protected in the long-term, now is not the time to be taking money out of the sport.

“Just as we’ve extended our sponsorships that were due to expire for 12 months to support our partners, the Warriors have our support to extend their existing sponsorship too.”

The Warriors still have two years to run on their deal, and the news had threatened to be another blow to their most difficult season in history.

Players have now been away from their homes for three-and-a-half months as a result of the pandemic.

They have since lost sacked coach Stephen Kearney and five-eighth Blake Green, to Newcastle, as well as a handful of players who have returned to New Zealand.

The Warriors are already in a precarious financial situation given their stay in Australia and the resultant losses in merchandising, corporate and ticketing opportunities.

However, they will now be able to re-enter talks with Vodafone.

“For us, the Vodafone name has been synonymous with the Warriors and NZ rugby league for over two decades,” the club said in a statement before the Telstra announcement.

“We understand NRL have offered a diluted non-naming partnership option to the Warriors as an alternative, but naming rights has always been the primary reason for our 22 year-long partnership.”