If so, Ryan Bailey might have a case against him for registered trademark infringement.

With a little bit of imagination, Stobart lorries could carry SL advertising and SL could carry Stobart advertising.
No money need change hands.

Or am I being naive?

Yes you are!

The objective of having sponsors is to produce some revenue. I would expect the ads on lorries as well as they dosh.

I'm going to be a bloody walking Stobart billboard for the next few seasons! Both my Rugby and Football shirts now

On 3,500 trucks the advertising would be about £3.5m-worth
Even if you halve that, it's still more than Engage paid p.a. (about £1.5m IIRC?)

You still do not get it. Sponsorship is about producing much needed revenue. Barter is interesting but not in place of income.

Would you forgo your salary to have your face (shaven or unshaven) on a few billboards?

Of course I get it.
If SL wants the revenue more than it wants advertising and expansion, then so be it ... my point is that (maybe) they could have had £3.5m's worth of advertising instead of a sponsorship worth maybe £1.5m
Or, say, a reduced sponsorship with a reduced amount of advertising.
I don't know how much SL's advertising budget amounts to ... but money that is saved on outgoings has the same effect on the bottom line as revenue.


Unlike SL, I am not a business that needs to advertise ... and, anyway, my face on the back of lorries would scare small children.

Judging on last years Millennium Magic campaign about £8 and £4.50 of that went to the guy who stuck up the poster.

Im quite surprised by the enthusiasm for Stobart as sponsors. I for one am very underwhelmed at such a prospect.

Whilst Stobart are a known name and are clearly big in their industry what does it say about our sport that we are sponsored by a fleet of trucks!

The sponsor's main purpose is to stump up some money of course and to a degree the highest bidder has the best chance of winning. But that isnt all its about. If Durex stumped up the most money to sponsor the Premier League do you think we would be watching the Durex Premier League on a Saturday? No, we wouldn't.

The image and message that a sponsor like Stobarts conveys is one of boy done good, one of working class trying to be a bit above what he is. This would be a step back for RL.

I think it's a pretty good sponsor. Better than Probiz! At least it is a known brand.

Don't talk wet you bloody snob. Stobart would be a great sponsor.

A good sponsor perhaps, but not one that does much to challenge the northern working class stereotype of RL in this country.

But Durex are usually associated with a safe defence and a good climax........even if their season is a bit short!

People really need to shake this inferiority complex pretty sharpish, Joe Public aren't going to think 'ooh they're northern, how rubbish'. It's a National brand for Christs sake!