ST HELENS Rugby League Club’s £250,000-a-year sponsorship deal was thrown into doubt last night following the collapse of its current sponsor, Earth Money.
The Rotherham-based financial services company was placed into administration after its banker, Barclays, pulled the plug.
The three-year sponsorship deal with St Helens was into its second year and was currently worth more than £20,000 a month to the club. It is believed Saints is now actively seeking a new partner.
The club already enjoys a close relationship with a number of other companies including Land Rover, Alliance & Leicester and glassmaker Pilkington and it is believed these would certainly be on any shortlist.
The Earth Money deal – a record at the time for any British rugby league club – was announced in November, 2005, and the Earth Money name appeared on Saints’ shirts for the first time in January last year.
It is expected that St Helens, the current Challenge Cup holders, Super League and World Club champions, will seek another record-breaking sponsorship deal this time around, possibly up to £400,000 a year. A three-year deal at that level would push it through the £1m barrier.
Late last month, Saints announced the departure of chief executive Sean McGuire, who was in the final year of a five-year contract. He was immediately replaced by director Tony Colquitt.
Mr Colquitt, who assumed the role on a consultancy basis, has extensive experience at a senior level in the commercial and marketing sectors.
While at global giant Gillette, he was instrumental in developing the group’s partnership within rugby league both in the UK and Australia.
He is expected to pursue an aggressive growth strategy for the club which is hoping to build a new stadium.In the week previous to the announcement, the club rejected a takeover bid by an Irish-based consortium.
Saints chairman Eamonn McManus described the bid as “farcical†and claimed those involved “had never seen a game of rugby league in their lives†and “didn’t even know where St Helens was.â€St Helens Rugby League Club yesterday declined to comment on the collapse of Earth Money.Corporate recovery specialist Begbies Traynor has been appointed as administrator to the company.
The thing I find weird about the article is the last sentance where:
Saints chairman Eamonn McManus described the bid as “farcical†and claimed those involved “had never seen a game of rugby league in their lives†and “didn’t even know where St Helens was
This is a bit strange when the people of St Helens have the same problem of never having seen a rugby league match OR perhaps don't even know where St Helens is!
The thing I find weird about the article is the last sentance where:
Saints chairman Eamonn McManus described the bid as “farcical†and claimed those involved “had never seen a game of rugby league in their lives†and “didn’t even know where St Helens was
This is a bit strange when the people of St Helens have the same problem of never having seen a rugby league match OR perhaps don't even know where St Helens is!
There's a bloke works with my husband in Manchester who was gobbing off about Stains this, Stains that last year after they won the cup. Walking round wearing the shirt and everything. Then, when they got to having a play-off game he (seriously) asked my husband how to get to Knowsley Road! Turned out he'd never been!! Needless to say, he didn;t actually get round to attending that game either.
Just as well - I think my husband had given directions to Widnes sewage works out of spite!
