Betfred Extend Their Commercial Partnership with Rugby League

[Cumbrian Fanatic]

https://www.superleague.co.uk/article/3796/record-breaking-renewal-for-betfreds-rugby-league-partnership

3 Year extension with a 25% increase

I know not everyone thinks a betting company is the perfect sponsor, but beggars can't be choosers and its nice to see a bit of good news on the commercial front

[whatmichaelsays]

16 minutes ago, Cumbrian Fanatic said:

https://www.superleague.co.uk/article/3796/record-breaking-renewal-for-betfreds-rugby-league-partnership

3 Year extension with a 25% increase

I know not everyone thinks a betting company is the perfect sponsor, but beggars can't be choosers and its nice to see a bit of good news on the commercial front

Beggars can't be choosers, but why are we begging (if, indeed, we are) in the first place? 

I've no personal issue with betting, but it should alarm that so many of RL's eggs are in one basket - and particularly one that could very easily be subjected to restrictions on advertising and sponsorship in the near future. 

Edited October 10, 2023 by whatmichaelsays

[Barley Mow]

Really glad to see a 25% increase on the last deal - Having seen the extension, I was expecting it to be essentially a repeat of last time.

Do we know how much in monetary terms it actually is? Maybe not a huge amount if "including a bespoke pitch-covering" is something they're shouting about!

[Hull Kingston Bronco]

"80 year old fan donates to the sport because RL Commercial can't do their job and sell multiple sponsorship properties to anyone else"

There, I've fixed the headline. I think it's great what Fred does for the game, and we should be grateful, but let's not pretend this isn't failure. 

 

[whatmichaelsays]

As a side note, if you are going to announce a partnership with this sort of brand, PR 101 would tell you not to do it on World Mental Health Day

[Damien]

Its always nice to see an increase and there is no denying that Fred Done has been a passionate supporter of the game.

It again though feels a little like Sky where we are in a like it or lump it situation because no one else is really interested. Fortunately Fred Done, as I say, is a supporter of the game but it only needs a change of circumstance and we have no headline sponsor for any of our competitions.

[Pie tries]

Good fit for our sport….

[Henson Park Old Firm]

https://www.seriousaboutrl.com/rfl-agree-huge-sponsorship-deal-for-super-league-and-challenge-cup-83380/

 

Excellent news

[idrewthehaggis]

2 hours ago, Barley Mow said:

Really glad to see a 25% increase on the last deal - Having seen the extension, I was expecting it to be essentially a repeat of last time.

Do we know how much in monetary terms it actually is? Maybe not a huge amount if "including a bespoke pitch-covering" is something they're shouting about!

You asked.

" The title sponsorship contract was last extended in 2019 when it was valued at UK£1 million (US$1.32 million) per year."

https://www.sportspromedia.com/news/super-league-betfred-title-sponsorship-extension-st-helens-catalans-dragons-grand-fina/?zephr_sso_ott=lth0mB#:~:text=The elite rugby league competition,US%241.32 million) per year.

So I presume it's £1.25m pa 

£100k per club?

 

[Hopie]

Good to get an increase, hopefully some of it goes to grassroots development.

The talk of gambling companies does remind me of the time we turned one down for the pictures on trucks debacle.

[Smudger06]

Thank god for Betfred. 

[Eddie]

Anyone know if the Papa Johns deal has been extended? 

[Pigeon Lofter]

If Fred pops his clogs, would the firm still support RL, or is it the passion of the one man? 

Wasn't he in the frame for buying Salford and the AJ Bell at one point or was that wishful thinking?

[The Future is League]

15 hours ago, Cumbrian Fanatic said:

https://www.superleague.co.uk/article/3796/record-breaking-renewal-for-betfreds-rugby-league-partnership

3 Year extension with a 25% increase

I know not everyone thinks a betting company is the perfect sponsor, but beggars can't be choosers and its nice to see a bit of good news on the commercial front

A 3 year extension and a 25% increase in funding is most welcome

[Dave T]

I'm not a gambler and not a fan of us being in bed with gambling companies. There has to be a clear action on RLCom to diversify our sponsors and both increase and change the profile of who we attract. 

But, putting the above aside, as an actual sponsor, I think Betfred have been a very good one. They are one of the few that seem proud of their association and we feature on their tv ads and or her promotions, and whilst many are dismissing it as it being a favour, there have been many years where he hasn't sponsored the sport, and at times we have had other bookies instead. 

So, as a short term solution it's good news, but this can't go on indefinitely, nor can a reliance on one company. 

[The Masked Poster]

It's good news regardless of any other factors about if you agree with betting or so forth. And they are fairly active in pushing RL as something they aren't embarrassed about, so it's not bad at all.

But yeah, a wider sponsor portfolio is absolutely required. 

I seem to remember the bulls had a sponsor on their shirt a few years back....was it Utilita? At the time they were unknown but they must have grown as I'm sure I've seen them sponsoring football clubs including Rangers (?) So maybe look to get in on the ground floor with a few up and coming companies rather than knocking on the door of Coca-Cola?

Edited October 11, 2023 by The Masked Poster

[Henson Park Old Firm]

Betfred, I don't have any quams with them, I think they are a great sponsor... If I was the SL I would try and get a major French beer company to sponsor the league, so any televised games can get a free plug back in France. Also the SL needs a major airline sponsor like Easyjet or Ryanair for supporters travelling to France and vice versa. Plast the sponsors on the field like they do in the NRL.

[Dave T]

14 minutes ago, The Masked Poster said:

It's good news regardless of any other factors about if you agree with betting or so forth. And they are fairly active in pushing RL as something they aren't embarrassed about, so it's not bad at all.

But yeah, a wider sponsor portfolio is absolutely required. 

I seem to remember the bulls had a sponsor on their shirt a few years back....was it Utilita? At the time they were unknown but they must have grown as I'm sure I've seen them sponsoring football clubs including Rangers (?) So maybe look to get in on the ground floor with a few up and coming companies rather than knocking on the door of Coca-Cola?

I do think that's an area for us - or even new medium sized brand launches - we can offer half decent reach for a really rather modest cost. 

[The Masked Poster]

13 minutes ago, Dave T said:

I do think that's an area for us - or even new medium sized brand launches - we can offer half decent reach for a really rather modest cost. 

Yeah precisely. Go Daddy were an example in the 2013WC. Even Amazon was once a small business.....

[Barley Mow]

33 minutes ago, Henson Park Old Firm said:

Betfred, I don't have any quams with them, I think they are a great sponsor... If I was the SL I would try and get a major French beer company to sponsor the league, so any televised games can get a free plug back in France. Also the SL needs a major airline sponsor like Easyjet or Ryanair for supporters travelling to France and vice versa. Plast the sponsors on the field like they do in the NRL.

It might be a good idea in theory, but it is illegal in France to use sponsorship to promote alcohol. Another sector is a possibility.

[Barley Mow]

Fred Done is obviously a fan of the sport and that came across in his comments at the award ceremony last night. As did the fact that he is glad to sponsor a sport that has strong links to the area he comes from.

What struck me was when he said his people were able to work closely with RFL/Super League in a way perhaps they couldn't with those running other sports - the implication was it is more of a partnership, whereas with other sports it is just sponsorship.

Nonetheless, I agree that diversifying (expanding) the range of sponsors would be welcome.

[Damien]

19 minutes ago, The Masked Poster said:

Yeah precisely. Go Daddy were an example in the 2013WC. Even Amazon was once a small business.....

Go Daddy were huge even in 2013 and hardly a small or medium sized business. I was always a bit amazed they were a sponsor in the first place as it seemed so left field for RL. As they haven't been involved in RL since it probably speaks volumes for the value they got from that sponsorship.

[Dave T]

12 minutes ago, Barley Mow said:

It might be a good idea in theory, but it is illegal in France to use sponsorship to promote alcohol. Another sector is a possibility.

The increase in alcohol free beer sponsorship is the easy way round that. 

[Dave T]

7 minutes ago, Damien said:

Go Daddy were huge even in 2013 and hardly a small or medium sized business. I was always a bit amazed they were a sponsor in the first place as it seemed so left field for RL. As they haven't been involved in RL since it probably speaks volumes for the value they got from that sponsorship.

From memory, only Specsavers stayed as a sponsor from that World Cup.

[The Masked Poster]

13 minutes ago, Damien said:

Go Daddy were huge even in 2013 and hardly a small or medium sized business. I was always a bit amazed they were a sponsor in the first place as it seemed so left field for RL. As they haven't been involved in RL since it probably speaks volumes for the value they got from that sponsorship.

My mistake, I'd never really heard of them before then.