RWC logo designer: I've been sidelined

Graphic designer and artist Te Tahi Takao. Photo / Supplied

The designer of the Maori motif for the Rugby World Cup won't be getting free tickets to the tournament.

Graphic designer and artist Te Tahi Takao came up with the idea of a hammerhead shark and koru fern emblem for the tournament while doodling with a stick in the sand near his home at Otaki Beach.

The design appears on RWC tickets, the New Zealand 2011 website and apparel including T-shirts, ties, towels, caps and pendants.

But Takao said despite its exposure to a potential worldwide audience of millions he was miffed that he had not received an invitation to any of the tournament's official functions nor has he received a ticket to any matches.

"I do watch a bit of rugby and it is going to be on five different channels so it will be hard to miss," he said.

"Still, it is disappointing I didn't get any tickets to the games or any merchandise or anything like that.

"I haven't heard from them since it was launched last year and to be honest, I might have needed a manager back then."

Takao's design was commissioned in September 2008 by Rugby World Cup Ltd's Australian-based design and brand agency, Witekite, which sought Maori artists for design work for the tournament.

Takao would not reveal the amount he was paid but said "it wasn't much in the wider scheme of things".

He said he was not holding his breath for tickets.

"I'm just doing what I have to do with my work and if people recognise my work or they ask me to do some work I would be quite happy with that.

"But in terms of tickets I can't see myself getting any soon."

Rugby New Zealand 2011 spokesman Mike Jaspers said Takao's contractual relationship was with Rugby World Cup which handled the tournament's branding.

He said RNZ 2011 had commercial relationships with an array of suppliers none of which were being given free tickets.

"They don't get free tickets - they get paid for the service they perform," he said.

Last year it was revealed that no free tickets would be given, so the Government would have to buy them.

RNZ 2011 chief executive Martin Snedden said no free tickets would be provided for councils in match-hosting regions, but each region had an option to buy up to 150 seats at full price.