RUGBY LEAGUE’s main sponsor, Betfred, will pull out of all its title sponsorships in the game at the end of this season, its principal owner Fred Done has announced.
The company first began sponsoring Super League in 2017 and it gradually extended its sponsorship to include other competitions since then.
But, writing in the Sunday Times, Done has explained his decision by pointing to the sharp increase in costs imposed on his business by recent government budget decisions.
But his decision is tinged with regret.
“I love Old Trafford — I’ve been a Manchester United fan my whole life — but it’ll be a sad day when I go there in a fortnight. I’m due to hand over the Betfred Super League Grand Final trophy to the winner of the Rugby League competition for the final time,” he wrote.
“I’ve always described people in Rugby League as family — they’re brilliant. Betfred started sponsoring the Super League in 2017 because we saw it as an important northern sport, and we added the Championship and League One the following year. Then came the Women’s Super League in 2019, the Challenge Cup and Wheelchair Super League in 2021 and the England national teams in 2022.
“At heart, I’m still a working-class guy from Salford. Supporting Rugby League, a working-class sport, has meant a lot to me.
“But that’s coming to an end. In July, a combination of wage inflation and tax rises forced us to announce the closure of 132 shops. Betting shops have been my life, and it was an agonising decision. But government policy left us with no choice. With those shops went 600 jobs, £17.8 million in taxes and £4.2 million a year in payments to horseracing.
“In an environment like this, you have to look at all your costs. As much as it breaks my heart, we have decided not to renew our sponsorship of Rugby League.”
Rhodri Jones, Interim RFL CEO and RL Commercial Managing Director, said: “Betfred have been an outstanding partner across Rugby League for nearly a decade.
“We are extremely grateful to Fred Done and the entire Betfred team for their backing, passion and dedication to our sport.
“We look forward, with them, to the play-off series and the Grand Finals to come in the next few weeks as well as the World Cup.
“But, on the back of a record-breaking Super League season, we’re also excited for this next chapter as we prepare to soon welcome in new partners to continue the successes we’ve seen across Super League and all our major assets.”
The future of the horseracing industry has also been plunged into doubt. Betfred is the lead sponsor of the Derby, the Oaks, the St Leger, the 2,000 Guineas and the 1,000 Guineas, collectively known as the British Classics, the jewels in the crown of flat racing.
Done warned: “We have a verbal agreement to renew our sponsorship of the British Classic horse races for a further three years – but if October’s budget goes the wrong way on MGD, we will have to walk away from those too.”