Your joking, NRL got well shafted on its last deals! Maybe someone from the AFL who seem to be able to have everyone throwing money at them might be a better idea.

How could the NRL show the RFL how to sell sponsorship?
You do understand that RL in Australia is a popular sport that is on FTA TV regularly don't you? Rugby League in Europe is seen as not more than a localised hobby that is shown on Pay TV.

Have a look at the sponsors to date...it's a Northern thing....

Stobarts....Carlisle, Cumbria
Engage Mutual.....Harrogate, North Yorkshire...
Stones Bitter....Sheffield, South Yorkshire...
JJB Sports Ltd...Wigan, Greater Manchester....
Tetley's Bitter...Leeds, West Yorkshire...

All of those companies are national companies with their roots in the North. Not a bad thing imo. You missed out Heinz, Gillette, Irn Bru, Valvoline etc who are also sponsoring the game. It's an area we can do much better in but as you know it is a real chicken and egg, perception is RL is a ltd population sport so not getting the money, not getting the money so doesn't have th eincome to spread the game or market itself properly to change perception. Tough one and not likely to change anytime soon Such is the nature of British sport.

Northern business does not equate to exclusively northern interest.


HTH

How very observant of you....Guinness has its roots in Ireland......didn't do any harm them sponsoring the English Union premiership. Heineken....hmmmm...how many Dutch teams grace Europe's premier rugby comp?

Sorry, but Northern Sponsors sponsor the northern code........it's a fact, pure an simple. Tetley had no interest in cockneys supping their ale....but they had every interest in northern drinkers....

As for Gillette & Heinz, I quoted naming rights in a thread about naming rights...come back when they sponsor the comp in its entirety. BTW ....Gillette paid 30k to sponsor the 2009 4 Nations.........they pay a pittance to shift razors......and Heinz were "tapped up" by Wigan a few years back....

still......I'd take sarries deal at 1.3 mill a year over the current SL one any day of the week

Irn Bru, a northern company, Barrs soft drinks

Irn Bru are a scottish company. Not what you'd call heartlands is it.

Can't get much further North though!

I can't believe it! I saw my first Stobart SL lorry at the weekend on the M180. It was the Leeds one. That is the first time I have seen one outside of the Manchester Magic Weekend.

Why doesnt the RFL target Aviva if they pull the plug on their Athletics sponsorship. Which was costing Aviva £50m.

I know THEY have it but why not approach them if they do pull out?