ALAN FRASER
HOW appropriate that at a time when players are filling their boots with lolly rugby union should be sponsored by bread.
Not bread, man, to borrow from the terminology of the 1960s, but bread .
. . woman. The Bread for Life campaign is investing [pounds sterling]100,000 in women's rugby over three years, putting its name on the national cup competition and providing funds to promote the game.
This represents bread of heaven, as the rugby anthem goes, to a sport which, while growing at a phenomenal rate in terms of participating numbers, has long fought the dual battle for financial survival and recognition in the most chauvinist of male environments.
Twickenham threw open the doors of its Rose Room for the announcement yesterday but could not resist restricting the space for on-pitch photographs to a tiny corner of a field that for this season, if not forever, might be England, though not Scotland, Wales or Ireland.
`That's as far as they are going,' said RFU marketing employee Gloria Semmitt as the international players perched on the corner of the hallowed ground. Signs declared: `Keep Off The Grass'.
Unlike the Five Nations Championship row, television money is not something likely to split the Rugby Football Union for Women. They receive none and are scarcely in the position to negotiate for any. Their executive are more likely to debate how much each club would receive for taking part in the first round of the Bread for Life Cup. Perhaps [pounds sterling]50.
Another matter to be determined is the venue for the Cup Final scheduled for April 20. `That is nothing new in women's rugby,' said Rosie Golby, RFUW president. A regular home for the match was being sought in South West London. She added: `Sponsorship means we can pay for services rather than rely on the generosity of clubs.'
Source Citation
"Breadline women pick up [pounds sterling]100,000 slice of the action." Daily Mail [London, England] 4 Sept. 1996
Showing posts with label Sponsorship. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sponsorship. Show all posts
Wednesday, 4 September 1996
Sunday, 6 March 1994
Sponsorship of the world cup
Alasdair Reid
LOVELY stuff, money. Except, that is, when it comes into contact with rugby. Then you begin to wonder. Not about the under-the-table stuff, or even, in these enlightened times, the over-the-table stuff. If players of genuine talent can put together packages of decent houses, sponsored cars and ghosted columns, then good luck to them. Who cares? Nice work if you can get it.
But what you really have to wonder at is sponsorship, or rather the willingness of sponsors to lard their cash over areas of the game that are perfectly well larded already. Bankers, brewers and all those other hard-nosed movers and shakers of the business world seem perfectly myopic when new opportunities really arise.
At some time in the future, and the sooner the better, we will have a Scottish Cup competition. Sponsors are queuing up already. But long before then next month in fact we will have had an international rugby tournament, a world championship involving more than 400 players and officials from 12 countries, contested at various venues throughout Scotland. And where is the queue of tournament sponsors? Where indeed.
When you consider the scale of the operation, the television, the media interest and the unstinting, selfless efforts of the organisers it is an astonishing absence. Until you realise that it is the Women's World Championships that is about to take place. Girlies, by jove. Now that might explain something.
But sponsors or not, when the Scottish Women's Rugby Union announce the tournament's final format at a launch in Edinburgh on Wednesday, the occasion will represent a remarkable achievement for women's rugby in Scotland. Three years ago, the SWRU were not even represented when the first tournament was held in Wales. Three months ago they had no idea that they would be hosting the second. Holland should have been the venue, but an acrimonious fall-out between the Dutch organising committee and their IRB representative, confusion over the affiliation status of the Dutch women's union, shirt sponsorship regulations and just about everything else led to a flurry of faxes announcing the cancellation of the event. ``Dutch clubs are in a dreadful temper,'' read one. Sue Brodie, SWRU chairperson and international fullback, seized the opportunity.
``Everybody was shocked,'' said Sarah Floate, SWRU spokeswoman. ``But Sue started thinking `why don't we have it here?'. The SRU said they would support us logistically, but in fact we've done most of it ourselves.'' Not that there is any dispute between the two governing bodies. Indeed, separate development is seen as the best way forwards, associate membership of the SRU giving the SWRU both the freedom to develop as they see fit and a sufficient level of support. Full affiliation could constrain progress, as it has for the New Zealand women's union, who will not be able to compete in the tournament as it does not come under IRB rules.
Problems like these will be raised at a conference held during the tournament and moves will almost certainly be made to establish an international governing body for women's rugby. But the occasion will also celebrate the growth of the game in Scotland, where there are now 21 teams playing in a three-division league structure, with new clubs being established all the time.
Of course, they might also celebrate the wisdom and foresight of their sponsors. The cost? ``Totally negotiable,'' according to Brodie. ``The tournament will happen anyway, but it is a good opportunity to increase profile. You can put my phone number in if you like.''
Would we do that? Of course we would: 031-661 1179.
Copyright (C) The Sunday Times, 1994
Source Citation
"Wanted: sponsor with a little imagination; Rugby." Sunday Times [London, England] 6 Mar. 1994
LOVELY stuff, money. Except, that is, when it comes into contact with rugby. Then you begin to wonder. Not about the under-the-table stuff, or even, in these enlightened times, the over-the-table stuff. If players of genuine talent can put together packages of decent houses, sponsored cars and ghosted columns, then good luck to them. Who cares? Nice work if you can get it.
But what you really have to wonder at is sponsorship, or rather the willingness of sponsors to lard their cash over areas of the game that are perfectly well larded already. Bankers, brewers and all those other hard-nosed movers and shakers of the business world seem perfectly myopic when new opportunities really arise.
At some time in the future, and the sooner the better, we will have a Scottish Cup competition. Sponsors are queuing up already. But long before then next month in fact we will have had an international rugby tournament, a world championship involving more than 400 players and officials from 12 countries, contested at various venues throughout Scotland. And where is the queue of tournament sponsors? Where indeed.
When you consider the scale of the operation, the television, the media interest and the unstinting, selfless efforts of the organisers it is an astonishing absence. Until you realise that it is the Women's World Championships that is about to take place. Girlies, by jove. Now that might explain something.
But sponsors or not, when the Scottish Women's Rugby Union announce the tournament's final format at a launch in Edinburgh on Wednesday, the occasion will represent a remarkable achievement for women's rugby in Scotland. Three years ago, the SWRU were not even represented when the first tournament was held in Wales. Three months ago they had no idea that they would be hosting the second. Holland should have been the venue, but an acrimonious fall-out between the Dutch organising committee and their IRB representative, confusion over the affiliation status of the Dutch women's union, shirt sponsorship regulations and just about everything else led to a flurry of faxes announcing the cancellation of the event. ``Dutch clubs are in a dreadful temper,'' read one. Sue Brodie, SWRU chairperson and international fullback, seized the opportunity.
``Everybody was shocked,'' said Sarah Floate, SWRU spokeswoman. ``But Sue started thinking `why don't we have it here?'. The SRU said they would support us logistically, but in fact we've done most of it ourselves.'' Not that there is any dispute between the two governing bodies. Indeed, separate development is seen as the best way forwards, associate membership of the SRU giving the SWRU both the freedom to develop as they see fit and a sufficient level of support. Full affiliation could constrain progress, as it has for the New Zealand women's union, who will not be able to compete in the tournament as it does not come under IRB rules.
Problems like these will be raised at a conference held during the tournament and moves will almost certainly be made to establish an international governing body for women's rugby. But the occasion will also celebrate the growth of the game in Scotland, where there are now 21 teams playing in a three-division league structure, with new clubs being established all the time.
Of course, they might also celebrate the wisdom and foresight of their sponsors. The cost? ``Totally negotiable,'' according to Brodie. ``The tournament will happen anyway, but it is a good opportunity to increase profile. You can put my phone number in if you like.''
Would we do that? Of course we would: 031-661 1179.
Copyright (C) The Sunday Times, 1994
Source Citation
"Wanted: sponsor with a little imagination; Rugby." Sunday Times [London, England] 6 Mar. 1994
Sunday, 5 January 1986
Great Britain v France: announcement; Sponsorship of women's rugby
A first-ever women's international between England and France will be played at the Richmond ground on April 19, despite the loss of a pounds 12,000 sponsorship deal which the newly-formed Women's Rugby Union thought was all wrapped up.
The wine company Piat d'Or had approached the women's union, and a season's programme had been agreed, culminating in the France international, before Piats parent company cried off - the reason being that it had been unable to arrange a parallel deal with men's rugby.
For the women, who feel they were 'left in the lurch', it was a dismal reminder of their dependence on men's rugby. But they will stage the international anyway, even if the visitors have to pay their own fares.
Source Citation
"Rugby Round-Up." Sunday Times [London, England] 5 Jan. 1986. InfoTrac Custom Newspapers. Web. 24 Dec. 2009.
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