103 replies to this topic

[trakl]

The potential deals are there with better brands you mark my words

CM

If the above is true - and I have no reason to doubt you - then might you point the RFL in their direction before it is too late? Have you tried to steer the RFL in the direction you insist they should be following? Have your ever offered your services to the RFL - including what appears to be an extensive list of contacts - for proper remuneration?

And if you have not done - and are not going to do any of these things - why not?

[Bedford Roughyed]

If the above is true - and I have no reason to doubt you - then might you point the RFL in their direction before it is too late? Have you tried to steer the RFL in the direction you insist they should be following? Have your ever offered your services to the RFL - including what appears to be an extensive list of contacts - for proper remuneration?

And if you have not done - and are not going to do any of these things - why not?

I've always had the impression that he is a former disgruntled employee/insider. But I could be very wrong.

[trakl]

I've always had the impression that he is a former disgruntled employee/insider. But I could be very wrong.

CM clearly has an awful lot more knowledge and experience in this aspect of the game than I do. I want him to know that I believe what he says. What I don't understand is why he gives the impression of revelling in the game's discomfort - rather than passing on all of his hard-won knowledge and wisdom to the game's authorities so that together (CM, you and everybody else) we can enjoy a vibrant sport with a burgeoning sponsorship/media profile?

[shrek]

Personally I don't really see a difference between an on-line bingo company and a bookmakers such as Bet Fred which the RFL turned down last year.

The potential stumbling block I saw with the betting deal and I may be a million miles of is most stadiums have bookies in and most clubs seem to have an independent deal with a book maker, presumably they'd have had to give these up if the title sponsorship also went to a bookie.

Genuine quetion - is it just rl fans who are snobby about sponsors?

Yes - in my experience any how!

soon to be announced deals with BRUT (Which is aimed at morons)

Excellent does this mean we can expect the "Man Up Challenge Cup" next season?

The French clubs cope well enough in Union playing in the Heineken Cup...

- the lads got a point!

If the above is true - and I have no reason to doubt you - then might you point the RFL in their direction before it is too late? Have you tried to steer the RFL in the direction you insist they should be following? Have your ever offered your services to the RFL - including what appears to be an extensive list of contacts - for proper remuneration?

And if you have not done - and are not going to do any of these things - why not?

[Northern Sol]

The French clubs cope well enough in Union playing in the Heineken Cup...

Not true. It is called the H-cup in France.

[gingerjon]

Not true. It is called the H-cup in France.

So, to clarify, they cope just fine.

[Kenny Bania]

Not true. It is called the H-cup in France.

So, to clarify, they cope just fine.

Similarly, Heineken are a sponsor of the Champions League and they get round that in France (where alcohol advertising is not permitted) and Spain (where it's not allowed in stadia).

Back to the OP, this sounds like a promising deal and seems to me like good news for the game.

[jannerboyuk]

CM clearly has an awful lot more knowledge and experience in this aspect of the game than I do. I want him to know that I believe what he says. What I don't understand is why he gives the impression of revelling in the game's discomfort - rather than passing on all of his hard-won knowledge and wisdom to the game's authorities so that together (CM, you and everybody else) we can enjoy a vibrant sport with a burgeoning sponsorship/media profile?

[Northern Sol]

So, to clarify, they cope just fine.

To clarify, the Heineken cup has a sponsor that pays to advertise in Britain, Ireland and Italy but can't advertise in France and thus probably pays less than they would if France were chucked as well (particularly as French rugby is cashed up). It's an odd situation and surprising that it has lasted as long as it has,

[Northern Sol]

On topic.

Are there worse snobs than RL fans?

Honestly suddenly Bingo isn't good enough. Bingo is hardly to my tastes as leisure activites good but ffs it is honest money. And the fact that Foxy Bingo sponsors Jeremy Kyle - so what? He has a popular TV programme; I don't mind admitting that I've watched it a few times myself (okay more than a few). I don't know that the people who watch it are necessarily the same people who would appear on it.

[Gav Wilson]

On topic.

Are there worse snobs than RL fans?

Honestly suddenly Bingo isn't good enough. Bingo is hardly to my tastes as leisure activites good but ffs it is honest money. And the fact that Foxy Bingo sponsors Jeremy Kyle - so what? He has a popular TV programme; I don't mind admitting that I've watched it a few times myself (okay more than a few). I don't know that the people who watch it are necessarily the same people who would appear on it.

Exactly. Was there a 4 page thread full of praise when the RFL announced this deal last year?

Thought not.

[CANETMAN]

The French clubs cope well enough in Union playing in the Heineken Cup...

The H cup is perfectly marketed in France and the ban works well for them with the H being branded as a pair of rugby goalposts the product also being available everywhere.Emirates was a great deal (But mostly a trade off for flights that have to be paid for anyway)My argument is simple, through complete lack of insight and contacts the RFL have in desperation re-positioned RL in the UK as basically a sport followed by oiks having brands like FOXY BINGO/BRUT (Which was dumped by Unilever yonks ago and picked up by CM Healthcare in Bournemouth) sends out the wrong message.SL should be positioning itself as a middle of the road brand that targets all types to its matches (With serious consideration to our french partners which hopefully should shortly increase) It breaks my heart to see the game that i love with so much potential going down this route in what amounts to nothing more than sheer desperation.CM

Edited by CANETMAN, 20 January 2013 - 04:44 AM.

[Wellsy4HullFC]

Exactly. Was there a 4 page thread full of praise when the RFL announced this deal last year?

Thought not.

No, but possibly because last year that article was a year old

[Wellsy4HullFC]

SL should be positioning itself as a middle of the road brand that targets all types to its matches

And this stops that how?

Alcohol sponsorship doesn't target all.
Airline sponsorships don't target all.

You're just being a snob. What if the RFL unveil an official caviar supplier tomorrow? Will that balance it all out?

There aren't sponsors waiting to take a gamble, and we aren't in a position to wait for them and reject other deals.

[kioli]

And this stops that how?

Alcohol sponsorship doesn't target all.
Airline sponsorships don't target all.

You're just being a snob. What if the RFL unveil an official caviar supplier tomorrow? Will that balance it all out?

There aren't sponsors waiting to take a gamble, and we aren't in a position to wait for them and reject other deals.

I think there's a difference between being a snob and being underwhelmed when the RFL sells the sport short.

ie: When the ARL was re-negotiating the naming rights sponsor for the NRL permiership it looked likely at one stage that Telstra would pull out and word was that Kia Motors or KFC would take over.
The ARL was hard nosed enough to keep Telstra onboard for twice the price and far less intrusive branding. If they had taken the easy option and gone with Kia Motors it would've had the knock-on effect of Holden not signing up for the NRL U20's naming rights, etc. Now they've got two of the biggest and most iconic Australian companies sponsoring the game. It didn't happen by luck.

I know that the RFL and SL is not in the same position as the ARL and NRL but this all feeds back to the terrible decision on Stobart deal. A trucking company and now bingo, when they should be approaching say a British supermarket chain or Vauxhall.

Edited by kioli, 20 January 2013 - 06:56 AM.

[Northern Sol]

Maybe they did and they were not interested, We've had that kind of sponsorship e,g, Co-op and Ford but perhaps this time cash is tight and they can't afford to.

Remember that the Celtic league had no sponsorship at all until Magners came along.

[shrek]

when they should be approaching say a British supermarket chain or Vauxhall.

To be the official bingo partner? Or are you suggesting we turn down this deal and pass by on targeting this market?

Anyhow, some facts and figures;
Taken from here;

* 85% of online bingo players are from the USA. Japan comes in 2nd and the UK 3rd.
* Online bingo is growing rapidly amongst the younger ages. 25% of all bingo players are young women under the age of 35, and the vast majority are under the age of 50.
* The UK has a player pool of 3.2 million active players
* Of that 3.2 million, 700,000 are young professionals of between 18 and 25
* In the UK bingo is the 2nd biggest leisure activity
* It is the most popular game for women between 20 and 25

Granted these are older (2002), but still interesting from the BBC.

Eyes Down - bingo facts
* Bingo was played by the Romans and was recorded as a children's game under the name of Lotto in 1778.

* Bingo was popular in the early 1900s, but was properly established by American toy salesman Edwin S. Lowe in 1929.

* Commercial bingo first exploded onto the scene in the UK in the 1960s.

* More than three million people play bingo regularly in the UK.

* The National Bingo Game is the second largest computer-controlled game in the UK.

* Around 500 clubs link together to play the National Game every day, except Christmas Day.

* There are 688 licensed bingo clubs in the UK.

* Eight per cent of the population play bingo - 10% of all women and 5% of all men.

So we've struck a deal with a big player in a market popular among women 20 to 25, sounds ideal to me.

[Dave T]

I think there's a difference between being a snob and being underwhelmed when the RFL sells the sport short.

ie: When the ARL was re-negotiating the naming rights sponsor for the NRL permiership it looked likely at one stage that Telstra would pull out and word was that Kia Motors or KFC would take over.
The ARL was hard nosed enough to keep Telstra onboard for twice the price and far less intrusive branding. If they had taken the easy option and gone with Kia Motors it would've had the knock-on effect of Holden not signing up for the NRL U20's naming rights, etc. Now they've got two of the biggest and most iconic Australian companies sponsoring the game. It didn't happen by luck.

I know that the RFL and SL is not in the same position as the ARL and NRL but this all feeds back to the terrible decision on Stobart deal. A trucking company and now bingo, when they should be approaching say a British supermarket chain or Vauxhall.

you do know this is just a partnership and not the title sponsorship dont you?

[JohnM]

I have to defend the critics of this deal, though it is difficult to understand how any company other than a bingo company could be the RFL bingo partner. So no, they are not snobs. Our game is not riven by social divisiond. In the main, the few but vociferous and hypocritical critics come from the "whatever the RFL does is wrong" brigade.

Picture this: the RFL announces an official beer partner. Await outcry from usual suspects.

[Ponterover]

Fail to see what the problem is here

It's not the title sponsorship, it's the official bingo partner.

Let's have loads of these deals, official beer, official chocolate bar, official soft drink, official fast food etc It's all money in the bank.

As for the perceived down market image of bingo, a) bingo is no longer about 60 year old working class ladies chain smoking Regal with dabber in hand and b, money is money is money, doesn't matter where it comes from, as long as it's legal.

Edited by Ponterover, 20 January 2013 - 09:39 AM.