Last updated at 11:36, Wednesday, 01 August 2012

Stobart Group’s sponsorship of rugby league’s Super League is to be scrapped after just one year.

Andrew Tinkler

The league signed a three-year deal with Stobart in January but clubs have decided to exercise an opt-out clause after 12 months.

The Rugby Football League received no cash from the agreement, although Super League clubs and players were advertised on 100 of Stobart’s trucks, and they argued at the time the deal could be worth the equivalent of up to £2.5m a year.

Andrew Tinkler, Stobart Group chief executive, said: “Stobart Group is pleased to have contributed to the promotion and success of the Super League in 2012, with a 45 per cent increase in television audiences.

“The plan was always to review the partnership after the first year and we’ve decided to step back and allow the RFL to work with commercial partners that can offer the financial support it needs to further develop.

“As such, both parties have mutually agreed to end the collaboration at the close of the season.”

The vote to accept the Stobart deal had been far from unanimous, and the governing body came in for fierce criticism for rejecting a cash offer from a betting company.

First published at 11:29, Wednesday, 01 August 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk