13 replies to this topic

[League Express]

The RFL has been named in the Stonewall Top 100 Employers Index for a third successive year, becoming the first sports organisation ever to complete a hat
-trick of appearances in the prestigious list which benchmarks Britain's top employers for lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) staff.

The accolade comes just two months after the RFL won the Stonewall Sports Award of the Year in recognition of the game's progressive work to embrace LGB
inclusion and tackle homophobia within sport. It also follows a 12-month period in which Super League champions Leeds Rhinos dedicated a regular season game to
celebrating LGBT inclusion, London Broncos hosted an LGBT game as part of the Olympic Pride House events and the RFL became the first UK sporting governing
body to produce a resource that tackles all six key equality strands: race, sexuality, gender, disability, age and religion.

The RFL became the first sporting organisation ever to be named in the Stonewall Top 100 Index in 2011: the governing body was named in 82nd position in the 2013
Index at Stonewall's annual champagne reception on Wednesday January 16.

"We are delighted to be listed in the Stonewall Top 100 for a third consecutive year and are very proud of this tremendous achievement, which is a great reflection of everyone involved with the RFL and Rugby League in general," said RFL Equality and Diversity Manager Sarah Williams.

"We've put a lot of hard work into our policy implementation and to developing resources and supporting our clubs in recent years and it is great to see the RFL once again receiving public recognition for the efforts of everyone involved. To see the RFL up there with huge corporations is a huge boost for us all.

"The RFL is committed to becoming one of the most LGB-inclusive organisations in the country and the challenge for us now is not to rest on our laurels, but to keep developing our entire equality and diversity programme and continue the impressive progress we have made in recent years."

Stonewall Director of Workplace Colleen Humphrey said: "The RFL continues to lead the way in tackling homophobia in sport. The commendable work done by the governing body and teams like the Sheffield Eagles and the Leeds Rhinos help prove that no sport need tolerate homophobia.

"Competition for a place in the Top 100 was fiercer than ever this year and every employer securing a position in the Top 100 has performed impressively. Gay Rugby League fans across the country will be proud to know that anyone can aspire to join a team and play the game."

Nathan Clarke
Media Executive

[Futtocks]

Well done - but if any other sport had managed this, we'd have read about it in the national newspapers.

[Gav Wilson]

Fantastic news.

Its sad there isn't more reaction to this. Not one comment on the LRL facebook page about it either.

Folk aren't quite as quick to praise are they?

[Marauder]

Maybe It would be a good idea to court the gay business community for sponsorship.

[John Rhino]

Well done - but if any other sport had managed this, we'd have read about it in the national newspapers.

I`m sure stonewall have better media contacts than we do.
Why not ask them to get the story a few column inches?

[Pie tries]

I`m sure stonewall have better media contacts than we do.
Why not ask them to get the story a few column inches?

Good idea, this is good news

[shrek]

Excellent news, good work.

[1976PMJwires]

Great news, but we need sponsorships......the rfl winning awards is good for them, but not for the game IMO..... Sponsors Urgently needed.


If you search super league via google , engage still gets a mention!!!

[shrek]

Great news, but we need sponsorships......the rfl winning awards is good for them, but not for the game IMO..... Sponsors Urgently needed.


If you search super league via google , engage still gets a mention!!!

Not sure I follow your logic, surely this can only be good for the game, it certainly won't be determental.

Who knows, as stated in post #4 this may raise awareness of our game and pull in potential new sponsors/supporters of the game.

As for Engage, thats just good SEO on there part!

[1976PMJwires]

Not sure I follow your logic, surely this can only be good for the game, it certainly won't be determental.

Who knows, as stated in post #4 this may raise awareness of our game and pull in potential new sponsors/supporters of the game.

As for Engage, thats just good SEO on there part!

It's great for the RFL profile, yes we all like awards, sense of achievement etc.

But with no sponsorship with 2 weeks to go makes the game a laughing stock - very little time for the clubs to put the adverts around the grounds, on tops , into match day programmes etc

IMHO sponsors don't see any value in sponsoring Super League or little value.

The RFL need to work on all aspects of the game and surely Sponsorships is the biggest and most important.


I'm not taking anything away from the award, we just need sponsorships to help ALL clubs when times are very hard.

[Amber Avenger]

I believe in the previous two sponsorship negotations (Engage and Stobart) we were still without sponsors 2 weeks before kickoff. Not ideal, but not exactly unknown territory

[1976PMJwires]

I believe in the previous two sponsorship negotations (Engage and Stobart) we were still without sponsors 2 weeks before kickoff. Not ideal, but not exactly unknown territory

Cheers AA - I knew the Stobart one was last minute, even though the RFL had been in talks with Stobart 3/4 months earlier.


I guess I'm just showing frustration!!!

[Ant]

I blame the RFL...oh, wrong thread...

As for sponsorship maybe they could tap up Tesco - they need some good publicity right now.

[Gav Wilson]

I blame the RFL...oh, wrong thread...

As for sponsorship maybe they could tap up Tesco - they need some good publicity right now.

Good idea! Just keep them away from London Broncos...