The First Utility Super League

Unbelievable scenes… Super League has a sponsor!

All joking aside, yesterday’s news of energy supplier First Utility becoming Super League’s title sponsor for the next three years is very welcome.

After this week the state Super League will be in three years from now is unclear, but what is for sure is the fact that the brand needs as much support as it can get through the upcoming transition, both financial and non-financial.

Nigel Wood is delighted – probably just to have everyone off his back – and he jazzed up the deal even further by claiming that ‘First Utility is a real challenger brand that is shaking up the UK energy market’.

Throw in some comments from First Utility’s ‘Chief Customer Officer’ about how passionate the two parties are, and it all sounds great.

However, when you delve deeper into the deal, it does not really get the pulse racing.

No official figures have been divulged, but the general consensus is that the sponsorship will be worth around £750,000 a year, similar to the deal with Engage from 2005 to 2011.

£750,000 divided between the 14 clubs is around £53,000, measly in comparison to last season’ NRL salary cap of over $5 million per club.

It is important to point out that Wood has also added that this new agreement will be the first of many, but surely the next deals should be more adventurous, and maybe involve more recognisable partners.

No offence meant to First Utility, but as a few fans have pointed out on social media, they are quite unknown (although I suppose that is what their website is for: first-utility.com).

Everybody keeps saying it, but it is true that due to the positivity of the recent World Cup, now is rugby league’s time to capitalise.

In the meantime though let’s be thankful, Super League has a sponsor, and unlike the last one, there is actually money involved!