RaboDirect to pull out of PRO12 sponsorship

cp · 23-08-2013 01:03PM #1

Being reported in the Irish Times here; and by Michael Corcoran on Twitter. Not ideal.

molloyjh · 23-08-2013 01:05PM

Well that's a bit sh..!

justsomebloke · 23-08-2013 01:12PM

A bit sh1te but with the sky deal they may actually be lucky in getting something better

Podge_irl · 23-08-2013 01:14PM

Sigh...

Hopefully this works out to our benefit - the league must surely be worth more now than when Rabo signed on.

Winters · 23-08-2013 01:22PM

BT Sport Pro12?

Buer · 23-08-2013 01:22PM

Crap. Big blow. The Sky package will hopefully ensure that someone steps in.

cp · 23-08-2013 01:23PM

Yeah they always struck me as a strange fit as a sponsor - they're only active in Ireland out of the 3 countries the league spans, Their product (savings plans) doesn't exactly correlate well with Sports/Leisure Activities, and lets be honest, the Branding was a mouthful, which led to people shortening it to Rabo/Rabo league/PRO12..

Still, looking for a 3 title sponsor in 6 years doesn't send out a good signal

irishbucsfan · 23-08-2013 01:25PM

Winters wrote: »

BT Sport Pro12?

Actually wouldn't surprise me at all! I wonder if the two groups are already on the phone about it!

Winters · 23-08-2013 01:27PM

Dont see why they cant split the sponsorship like in the [INSERT SPONSOR NAME HERE] Rugby Championship?

DGRulz · 23-08-2013 01:30PM

Lets say there's no one to replace Rabo until say November. What happens then? Play as normal or we wait?

cp · 23-08-2013 01:32PM

Play as normal, surely! IIRC the old Celtic league didn't have a title sponsor for the first 3 years or so..

.ak · 23-08-2013 01:33PM

That's gas. Defo doesn't help with the 'image' of the league.

justsomebloke · 23-08-2013 01:33PM

DGRulz wrote: »

Lets say there's no one to replace Rabo until say November. What happens then? Play as normal or we wait?

Play as normal, it's only a sponsorship at the end of the day

Winters · 23-08-2013 01:34PM

It would be called the Pro12. Like the Top14 and the Premiership.

thomond2006 · 23-08-2013 01:43PM

Winters wrote: »

It would be called the Pro12. Like the Top14 and the Premiership.

It will be called the John Hayes Ligind League.

irishbucsfan · 23-08-2013 01:45PM

Winters wrote: »

It would be called the Pro12. Like the Top14 and the Premiership.

Unless they switch it back to Celtic League, considering that is the name of the company etc.

Podge_irl · 23-08-2013 01:48PM

Winters wrote: »

Dont see why they cant split the sponsorship like in the [INSERT SPONSOR NAME HERE] Rugby Championship?

I don't think that would work as effectively here - the Rugby Championship/S15 have much more separated media markets.

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Unless they switch it back to Celtic League, considering that is the name of the company etc.

Would be stupid, and I don't think they will. Whatever about changing sponsor, constantly changing the name of the league would look terrible. I think they settled on Pro12 precisely so the name wouldn't change with sponsors.

DGRulz · 23-08-2013 01:50PM

The Celtic League plus some Italians has a nice ring to it :P

.ak · 23-08-2013 01:51PM

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Unless they switch it back to Celtic League, considering that is the name of the company etc.

I hope they don't, aside from the Italian element, I like the sound of Pro12. Like the Top14, it's snappy and to the point.

cp · 23-08-2013 01:55PM

Podge_irl wrote: »

I don't think that would work as effectively here - the Rugby Championship/S15 have much more separated media markets.

Media markets are one thing, but from a sponsors point of view, most companies would set their Marketing Budgets on a country by country basis. Hence, I'd imagine it would be much easier to find 3/4 local sponsors than 1 cross-border one.

This is something that's potentially limiting the sponsorship value of the league - in the case of RaboDirect for example, the exposure to the UK/Italy was essentially worthless to them.

molloyjh · 23-08-2013 01:59PM

They've a year to find a new sponsor. With the Sky deal due to come into effect at the same time that the new sponsor takes over I'd imagine it would be a far more attractive option than it was 2 years ago.

DGRulz · 23-08-2013 02:11PM

If this anti-alcohal sponsorship thing goes through thats likey to take out most of the drink companys. Bank of Ireland ? :P They already sponsor three teams in the league and there just isn't enough BoI logos on that new Leinster jersey.

jamiedav2011 · 23-08-2013 02:22PM

molloyjh wrote: »

They've a year to find a new sponsor. With the Sky deal due to come into effect at the same time that the new sponsor takes over I'd imagine it would be a far more attractive option than it was 2 years ago.

How does that SKy deal work again? They'll be showing a certain amount of games alongside terrestrial broadcasters is it?

Cookiemunster · 23-08-2013 02:25PM

DGRulz wrote: »

If this anti-alcohal sponsorship thing goes through thats likey to take out most of the drink companys. Bank of Ireland ? :P They already sponsor three teams in the league and there just isn't enough BoI logos on that new Leinster jersey.

Not necessarily. Any ban on alcohol advertising wouldn't affect Scotland, Wales, Italy or Ulster!. Any sponsorship would still be seen here on TV through pitch side advertising at away matches and through Sky and BBCs coverage.
Whether the league would want to go that route is another question though.

Dravokivich · 23-08-2013 02:26PM

jamiedav2011 wrote: »

How does that SKy deal work again? They'll be showing a certain amount of games alongside terrestrial broadcasters is it?

Basically one match a week, with play offs and final I think it was.

Cookiemunster · 23-08-2013 02:34PM

jamiedav2011 wrote: »

How does that SKy deal work again? They'll be showing a certain amount of games alongside terrestrial broadcasters is it?

AFAIK they have 30 games including the play offs, so 27 regular season games. They can only show one of each fixture, so if they show Munster V Leinster in Limerick the can't show the return game in Dublin. The terrestrials get to show the rest then after Sky pick.

justsomebloke · 23-08-2013 02:37PM

Cookiemunster wrote: »

The terrestrials get to show the rest then after Sky pick.

No Terrestrials have currently extended their deals though have they not? So currently at the moment SKY is the only TV provider on the table for the 2014 season

Dravokivich · 23-08-2013 02:40PM

justsomebloke wrote: »

No Terrestrials have currently extended their deals though have they not? So currently at the moment SKY is the only TV provider on the table for the 2014 season

Well, Sky don't have a deal which means exclusivity. But more so, a Priority selection.

Cookiemunster · 23-08-2013 02:42PM

justsomebloke wrote: »

No Terrestrials have currently extended their deals though have they not? So currently at the moment SKY is the only TV provider on the table for the 2014 season

Just checked out the press release and this is the last line Celtic Rugby are still in negotiations with other broadcasters and will be announcing further agreements in due course.

Artful_Badger · 23-08-2013 02:51PM

This is only relevant to next season though right ? Sponsorship and TV rights are unchanged this season from last with RTE and TG4 splitting the Irish games ?

Larbre34 · 23-08-2013 02:52PM

Bad news of course, but its a pity when a league becomes known by its sponsors, Ive always been concious of using Pro12 rather than 'the Rabo'

However I dont think itll be too difficult getting a big sponsor. I read the other day that Investec bank are planning to come into Ireland and undercut the zombie banks variable rates, so theyll be looking for a big vehicle, and as they are already big in UK rugby sponsorship they should be one of the ones tapped up

Otherwise maybe NAMA would like to invest.......

RaboDirect to pull out of PRO12 sponsorship

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