93 replies to this topic

[Northern Sol]

How much is the deal worth out of interest?

Probably not a right lot given that there were (presumably) no other bids.

But if it pays for a couple of development officers (and poor souls, they don't earn much), it's a good deal.

Edited by Northern Sol, 21 January 2013 - 10:56 PM.

[longboard]

I'm shocked and disgusted that a soup company might up being the official soup of sooper league (sorry). I was hoping for a car company myself.

Mini Cooper League?

[hindle xiii]

I can't keep up with all these sponsorship deals...

Although Crabtree is holding a Leeds Carnegie ball...

[EastLondonMike]

Looks like its Tetleys for the Challenge cup sponsor..

[roughyedspud]

aye.. the TETLEYS challenge cup

[terrywebbisgod]

Looks like its Tetleys for the Challenge cup sponsor..

Confirmed,two year deal.

[EastLondonMike]

Nice new branding for the comp, logo looks nice and neat.

[South Wakefield Sharks]

Good to hear Nigel Wood on West Yorkshire Sport yesterday talking about the sponsorship portfolio for rugby league. The RFL are confident that this year will be the best year ever for commercial revenue into the sport and that what is most important is maximizing income, and not necessarily worrying whether SL has a title sponsor or not.

He likened it to the champions league in soccer which has a portfolio of partners and said that a number of new deals will be announced over the next 14 - 28 days. He also said one of the key tests was for the game not to undersell itself, but to hold out for the true value of our sport, and to hold our nerve when it gets close to the deadline, otherwise sponsors would always think they could wait until close to the start of the comp, then get the sponsorship for a knock down price.

Quite encouraging.

[hindle xiii]

Good to hear Nigel Wood on West Yorkshire Sport yesterday talking about the sponsorship portfolio for rugby league. The RFL are confident that this year will be the best year ever for commercial revenue into the sport and that what is most important is maximizing income, and not necessarily worrying whether SL has a title sponsor or not.

He likened it to the champions league in soccer which has a portfolio of partners and said that a number of new deals will be announced over the next 14 - 28 days. He also said one of the key tests was for the game not to undersell itself, but to hold out for the true value of our sport, and to hold our nerve when it gets close to the deadline, otherwise sponsors would always think they could wait until close to the start of the comp, then get the sponsorship for a knock down price.

Quite encouraging.

True, and I'm ever the optimist but there's a slight niggling feeling we've heard it before last year. He was never gonna say "it's a bit rubbish but we'll keep going anyway despite what a well known wannabe mole posts on TRL".

[foozler]

Good to hear Nigel Wood on West Yorkshire Sport yesterday talking about the sponsorship portfolio for rugby league. The RFL are confident that this year will be the best year ever for commercial revenue into the sport and that what is most important is maximizing income, and not necessarily worrying whether SL has a title sponsor or not.

He likened it to the champions league in soccer which has a portfolio of partners and said that a number of new deals will be announced over the next 14 - 28 days. He also said one of the key tests was for the game not to undersell itself, but to hold out for the true value of our sport, and to hold our nerve when it gets close to the deadline, otherwise sponsors would always think they could wait until close to the start of the comp, then get the sponsorship for a knock down price.

Quite encouraging.

Two things. When times are tough, one of the first costs businesses tend to cut back on is marketing budget.

Also timing is fairly important. Assuming the sponsor search has been ongoing since the summer and they want it to start in February, then the RFL is looking to sign up a sponsor 'in year' that is half to 3/4 way thru the current financial year when you would expect budgets to be pretty fixed/ inflexible. A big ask I would have thought, even the largest companies aren't necessarily going to have a spare million or so just sloshing around unspent in their budgets.

With hindsight, they should have probably kept on with Stobart thru to the end of 2013, thereby giving commercial more time to work with prospective title sponsors and get the sponsors marketing spend fixed well ahead of time. At the same time, I'm sure they could have done more to increase the portfolio of sponsors who could have helped increase the £'s coming in.

I can see that there may not be a title sponsor announcement until closer to April. Or there may not even be one in 2013, but they have one lined up with the budget to spend from February 2014.

[bramleyrhino]

Two things. When times are tough, one of the first costs businesses tend to cut back on is marketing budget.

Also timing is fairly important. Assuming the sponsor search has been ongoing since the summer and they want it to start in February, then the RFL is looking to sign up a sponsor 'in year' that is half to 3/4 way thru the current financial year when you would expect budgets to be pretty fixed/ inflexible. A big ask I would have thought, even the largest companies aren't necessarily going to have a spare million or so just sloshing around unspent in their budgets.

With hindsight, they should have probably kept on with Stobart thru to the end of 2013, thereby giving commercial more time to work with prospective title sponsors and get the sponsors marketing spend fixed well ahead of time. At the same time, I'm sure they could have done more to increase the portfolio of sponsors who could have helped increase the £'s coming in.

I can see that there may not be a title sponsor announcement until closer to April. Or there may not even be one in 2013, but they have one lined up with the budget to spend from February 2014.

Are they in active discussions with a potential title sponsor for you to mention a possible announcement in April? Also you seem optimistic that a sponsor is lined up for 2014?

[brooza]

Are they in active discussions with a potential title sponsor for you to mention a possible announcement in April? Also you seem optimistic that a sponsor is lined up for 2014?

I think April is only being mentioned as that's when most companies' financial year starts and the budgets get freed up

[a.n Other]

I think April is only being mentioned as that's when most companies' financial year starts and the budgets get freed up

True, on the flip side to that, some marketing departments are looking to spend money prior to the new tax year so they don't get their budget cut for not spending it.

[foozler]

I think April is only being mentioned as that's when most companies' financial year starts and the budgets get freed up

Exactly.

[foozler]

True, on the flip side to that, some marketing departments are looking to spend money prior to the new tax year so they don't get their budget cut for not spending it.

Very true. But would you/ could you sign up for a multi-year sponsorship arrangement simply to ensure you get rid of all your budget for the current year? Seems a bit short term thinking to me.

[a.n Other]

Very true. But would you/ could you sign up for a multi-year sponsorship arrangement simply to ensure you get rid of all your budget for the current year? Seems a bit short term thinking to me.

True. but it wouldn't stop them getting it for a year and with an option of further years. And then see how it works. Obviously that's assuming the RFL would agree to a one year deal.

[foozler]

Are they in active discussions with a potential title sponsor for you to mention a possible announcement in April? Also you seem optimistic that a sponsor is lined up for 2014?

April because most organisations start their new financial year and budgets then.

Re 2014, given that negotiating deals with large £ spends can take some time to come to fruition, I can well see that a principal competition sponsor might not be ready to come on board until the 2014 season (particularly if it is an organisation new to RL which given the background of the current commercial director could well be the case). Reading between the lines of what Wood has said, I think they are likely to go the year without that anchor sponsor whilst they get the right partner on board, but will make up for it by expanding the number of secondary commercial partnerships.

It does strike me that the RFL have been a bit behind the curve on trying to broker the big deals and have been chasing it late in the day. But you have to bear in mind the well publicised financial weaknesses at Bradford, Salford, Cas and HKR will in all likelihood have a negative impact on attracting sponsorship, after all which top brand wants to be associated with a league where roughly 20% of the clubs are in difficulty.

[foozler]

True. but it wouldn't stop them getting it for a year and with an option of further years. And then see how it works. Obviously that's assuming the RFL would agree to a one year deal.

But if you worked along those lines, are you ever going to get decent £'s for the competitions?

[Dave T]

I'm not convinced that the budgeting issues have caused any problems here.

There would be no issue with a company signing up and agreeing minimal payments in this financial year.

I really hope that the cancellation of the Stobart deal wasn't a slight act of rebellion once Lewis left, as tbh not having a sponsor is not great no matter how this is dressed up. Having a sponsor come on board half way through the season would look small time, and once the season kicks off I think we need to write off title sponsors for this year - if somebody wants it for 2014, then they could naturally come in as a partner mid-season until 2014.

[foozler]

I'm not convinced that the budgeting issues have caused any problems here.

There would be no issue with a company signing up and agreeing minimal payments in this financial year.

I really hope that the cancellation of the Stobart deal wasn't a slight act of rebellion once Lewis left, as tbh not having a sponsor is not great no matter how this is dressed up. Having a sponsor come on board half way through the season would look small time, and once the season kicks off I think we need to write off title sponsors for this year - if somebody wants it for 2014, then they could naturally come in as a partner mid-season until 2014.

Couldn't we have kept Stobart on as say official haulage partner? After all haulage has as much to do with RL as bingo probably does!

Edited by foozler, 24 January 2013 - 04:33 PM.