Google vs eBay Netball Challenge: The Re-Mix

Posted by Christine Knight, Creative Maximiser (retail, media and entertainment team)

After our crushing defeat to the advanced netball forces of eBay in May, we were keen to challenge the eBayers to a rematch to prove our supremacy on the netball court.

With new team members recruited since the last event, and the will to get back our trophy, we threw down the gauntlet once more.

The big rematch took place on December 12. eBayers turned out in large numbers to support their team, including Simon Smith, eBay VP. (Simon was also kind enough to run our half-time auction of a Google Doodle signed by the Google Doodler, Dennis Hwang). In addition to the Doodle auction, we held a half-time shooting competition, with the money raised from both events (over $2000) going to the RSPCA.

The eBay team started the game hard and fast, trying to wear us down with their superior fitness. They took an early advantage of four points while we Googlers were still finding our feet.

Further into the quarter though, we made our comeback, gaining a small lead and keeping it for the rest of the game.

Finally, victory and a large shiny trophy were ours. A fitting end to 2007!

Google centre, Foxy, and eBay centre, Phuong, try intimidation tactics before the game.

Action close-up!

Wrestling the trophy back from eBay

Smiling, happy Googlers and eBayers

Google vs eBay Netball Championship

Posted by Christine Knight & Shaden Mohamed, Maximiser Associates

The gauntlet was thrown during a catch-up with the eBay team. Paraphrased version of the conversation: eBay: “Our team kicks butt at netball”. Google: “Don’t be so sure. We challenge you to a game of netball. Only one team can be champion netballers.”

Note to reader: Google doesn’t actually have a netball team. eBay does. We were the underdogs from the beginning. After much trash-talking, the game was set for May 3.

The competitive bar was raised when a video from eBay arrived in our inboxes one unsuspecting morning, filled with interviews, game highlights and general firey "we are the champions"-type statements.

Was this intimidation? Was this a challenge? Whatever the reason, we couldn’t let them have all the fun! And so our Google netball video project was born. Each team enlisted the help of their office for various scare tactics and dodgy marketing campaigns to throw the other team off their game. Watch Google’s retaliation video and eBay’s final video below.






In the end, it came down to skills alone. Sadly for us, eBay were the team who had the required skills, winning 23 to 17.

The real winner of the day however was the Make-A-Wish Foundation, for whom we raised over $5,000 through donations from big-hearted Googlers and eBayers.

The newly formed Google netball team hasn’t taken this defeat lying down. We are preparing for the next netball challenge to take the trophy back to its rightful home. Bring it on, eBay!