Ladbrokes Named Challenge Cup Sponsor

The Rugby Football League has signed a new partnership with Ladbrokes that will see the bookmaker replace Tetley’s as the title sponsor of the Challenge Cup, England’s domestic rugby league tournament.

The three-year-deal has been agreed ahead of Thursday’s draw for round one of the 2015 competition.

As part of its association, Ladbrokes will have headline branding at all Ladbrokes Challenge Cup ties, introduce a Responsible Gambling programme for Rugby League players, fans and staff and also introduce the tournament’s inaugural Ladbrokes Player of the Round Award.

According to the RFL, Ladbrokes will receive over 1,000 hours of global TV coverage, including over 70 hours of UK coverage from Sky Sports and BBC.

The Ladbrokes Challenge Cup will be contested by 78 clubs drawn from the First Utility Super League, Kingstone Press Championship and League 1 as well as the community game, Armed Forces, police and the University and College competitions in 2015, a season which marks a historic year for the sport.

The 2015 Ladbrokes Challenge Cup final will be played 120 years to the day since Rugby League was founded at a meeting at the George Hotel in Huddersfield in 1895.

Chris Rawlings, the RFL’s commercial director, said: “Ladbrokes is one of the world’s most recognised and respected brands which has over 800,000 customers and this partnership will bring great benefits to both parties.

“Ladbrokes is the latest major brand to recognise the advantages of associating their brand with Rugby league and it gives me great pleasure to welcome them to the sport’s current existing and impressive commercial portfolio.”

Richard Glynn, Labrokes’ chief executive, added: “We’re thrilled to begin our sponsorship of the Ladbrokes Challenge Cup in a historic and momentous year for the sport. Rugby league is without doubt one of the world’s most exciting sports, brimming with energy and adrenaline both on and off the pitch.”

Labrokes becomes the seventh title sponsor of the Challenge Cup since 1980, following State Express, Silk Cut, Kellogg’s Nutrigrain, Powergen, Leeds Met Carnegie and Tetley’s.