But would Betfair have splashed Rugby league adverts all over their site, minimising their profit from other adverts for free? Betfair could have just been offering £750k to the RFL with nothing back in return like engage, they would have paid to advertise their own company, not promote rugby league.

With the stobart deal, if more people tune in to see a match and then start going to games, all because they saw the truck somewhere, then it'll eventually get some more money for clubs that they wouldn't have had. Seems like it makes sense, and could be beneficial for promotion.

RFL finally thinking outside the box to promote the game. Who knows, maybe if this works in promoting the game, then the next deal we get will include promoting the game [iand[/i a couple of million in the bank.

If true its a disgrace that 4 clubs did not have representatives there for such an important meeting, particularly when Wigan and Saints are 2 of the biggest clubs in the game.

If you read the report in League Express, as I have done, the four clubs who didn't attend sent letters expressing their thoughts and preferences. The clubs that voted in favour of Betfair were (according to League Express) Leeds, Hull FC, Hull KR, Castleford and Salford but (according to League Weekly) were Leeds, Hull FC, Hull KR, Castleford and Wakefield. All the rest voted in favour of the Stobart deal.

So rugby league is the second most watched sport on sky sports behind football. We have a whole weekend where Super league dominates the channell for two days. A huge play-off series and grand final which gets massive viewing figures, Stobart will have their name next to all of these events along with everything on the internert, every time the competition gets mentioned... and all we have in return is 100 trucks. I can't believe we havn't got a penny. I could have negotiated a better deal than that, it is a disgrace.

No wonder we are so far behind Union when they are negotiating deals with Aviva worth 20million over 4 years.

The people at Stobart have pulled off the best deal in the history of sports business.

Depends whether or not it's a loss leading exercise in the hope of giving the game some exposure to bigger sponsors.

The RFL are getting money for the deal from secondary sponsors.
Heinz for one are to have their name on the trucks and will be paying for it.
SKY the same deal and other sponsors will follow.
When it comes to "brands" Stobart is far better to be associated with than Betfair, it is a good deal as far as I'm concerned.