Marketing campaigns may be boosted by rugby sponsorship deal

Firms wanting to boost their marketing campaigns through a sports sponsorship deal may be interested in a vacancy that has arisen

Insurer Engage Mutual has chosen to end its sponsorship of Rugby League's top flight competition, Super League.

It will terminate its link at the end of the current season, leaving the Rugby Football League (RFL) seeking new backers, although the organisation has said it is already speaking with interested parties.

Engage has been with the RFL for seven years and Marketing Magazine quoted the firm's marketing director Karl Elliot as stating: "It has been decided that the title sponsorship has done its job.

"Going forward, we are considering other options to maintain the brand investment that Super League provided such a good return on."

The new sponsor may find it is mainly able to build up customer loyalty in the north of England, the heartland of the sport, something that could interest those keen on making inroads into markets in particular geographical areas.

Super League is made up largely of teams based around the M62 corridor, in towns and cities like Hull, Leeds, Bradford, Wigan and St Helens.

In a bid to widen the geographical appeal of the code, the league has been set up to include teams from farther afield, such as Wrexham-based Crusaders, French side Catalan Dragons and London team Harlequins RL, a sister side to the rugby union club.