New sponsor for Aussie National Rugby League
News on 9 Jan 2013
News on 9 Jan 2013
The new sponsor for the Australian National Rugby League is Aussie bookmaker company Tom Waterhouse, which laid out a reported Aus$50 million in decisively outbidding incumbent rival TAB Sportsbet for the deal.
TAB Sportsbet will nevertheless retain its status as an NRL approved wagering operator, although Waterhouse gets the rights to signage, corporate hospitality and the use of NRL images for marketing purposes for the next five years.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports that Waterhouse has invested a further Aus$15 million in taking the exclusive advertising rights on Channel Nine’s Footy Show away from another rival, Centrebet, again after significantly outbidding the competition.
The company appears to have an extensive marketing budget, with speculation in the sector that it is also going after a 12 month television deal with Channel Nine on cricket and horse racing, facing off with the equally buoyant and well-heeled UK online betting firm bet365.
Melbourne-based Waterhouse has previously clinched big money deals with the Australian Football League (AFL), the Australian Rugby Union and Cricket Australia.
