www.rleague.com/content/article.php?id=38807 [iHarlequins Rugby League announced today that it has appointed Century 21, the sports management and sponsorship marketing company, as its strategic marketing and communications partner for the current Super League season. The appointment is a declaration of intent by the London Super League licence holder of its commitment to the development of professional rugby league in the south-east. Century 21 specialises in marketing, communications and events in the sport and entertainment arenas and has just completed successful sponsorship activation projects for Guinness and StanJames.com at last week's Cheltenham National Hunt Festival. Announcing the appointment, Harlequins Rugby League Chief Executive, Gus Mackay said, "All the research tells us that there is an audience for professional rugby league in London and the south-east. With the support of the Rugby Football League we're determined to exploit that interest with the help of Century 21, who have the experience and expertise to help us achieve our objectives." Commenting on the company's latest appointment, Century 21 director Steven Barker said, "We assisted the Rugby Football League, and Harlequins in particular, with a number of projects last season and are pleased to be given this further opportunity. We are excited about the potential of rugby league in London and the south-east and are looking forward to raising the profile of Harlequins RL and Super League over the coming months and to driving commercial results." [/i

www.rleague.com/content/article.php?id=38807 [iHarlequins Rugby League announced today that it has appointed Century 21, the sports management and sponsorship marketing company, as its strategic marketing and communications partner for the current Super League season. The appointment is a declaration of intent by the London Super League licence holder of its commitment to the development of professional rugby league in the south-east. Century 21 specialises in marketing, communications and events in the sport and entertainment arenas and has just completed successful sponsorship activation projects for Guinness and StanJames.com at last week's Cheltenham National Hunt Festival. Announcing the appointment, Harlequins Rugby League Chief Executive, Gus Mackay said, "All the research tells us that there is an audience for professional rugby league in London and the south-east. With the support of the Rugby Football League we're determined to exploit that interest with the help of Century 21, who have the experience and expertise to help us achieve our objectives." Commenting on the company's latest appointment, Century 21 director Steven Barker said, "We assisted the Rugby Football League, and Harlequins in particular, with a number of projects last season and are pleased to be given this further opportunity. We are excited about the potential of rugby league in London and the south-east and are looking forward to raising the profile of Harlequins RL and Super League over the coming months and to driving commercial results." [/i

Great stuff- any thoughts from the the south Glum Fox?

Is this the first obvious link up with the RFL post last seasons announcement

So all marketing experts out there. Is this good news or.....................

One hour since the post and still nothing from Barnaby in NZ- his blackberry must be in for repair

Wakey wakey Glum Fox- Lets get the 20 point master plan sent to 21st century Mgt

I bet Gutters won't like it!

He probably will as it makes perfect sense [ion the headlines[/i

The devil will be in the detail as regards KPI's and success criteria, not to mention budgets and rewards, this is only one step in a marketing plan, but a correct one IMO.

I wish them the very best of luck.

I saw a thread on Love Rugby League a couple of days ago. It was started by someone who had tried to persuade people to come and watch a game but they weren't interested and didn't see RL as a major sport. The thread then developed into a discussion about how the club wasn't doing much in the way of marketing, and that the sport itself was poorly perceived.

By the way, the discussion was about Warrington. If there's a feeling that they have trouble attracting sufficient numbers, we might as well give it up now.

I wish them every success, we really need it!

No one seems to run marketing like Wigan do, the money they are willing to push into their BIG GAMES! this week against Warrington, full page adverts, large poster boards etc and 18,000 tickets sold up to yesterday and that is before the walk up spectators.

My home town club I have always been so critical of as they have never done any real push not even posters for years, but today I saw the first major bill board, well designed with most home game dates at Widnes, but is that working?

I still always look back to the World Championship season at The Stoop and it rocked, I made it to every home and away match that season bar one!

[i"Century 21 specialises in marketing, communications and events in the sport and entertainment arenas and has just completed successful sponsorship activation projects for Guinness and StanJames.com at last week's Cheltenham National Hunt Festival."[/i

Now call me a cynic nor wishing to steal gutterfax's thunder or belittle the efforts of Century 21 but selling Guiness and a Bookies to followers of Ireland's National Sport at their Big Day out is hardly difficult is it??

Lets give them and the club a chance.

Thought exactly the same.

I doubt with our budget (and not having a glamorous brief) we could afford an established agency anyway.

I'm interested to know what a "sponsorship activation project" entails. That Guinness claim is particularly amusing.

Oh dear



Better luck this season then?

Hmmm.....whilst not wishing to wee on their cornflakes just yet, a few of things do have me slightly concerned:

1. [iCommenting on the company's latest appointment, Century 21 director Steven Barker said, "We assisted the Rugby Football League, and Harlequins in particular, with a number of projects last season and are pleased to be given this further opportunity[/i

....we have re-engaged the services of a marketing firm (if that's what they actually are) who were involved in last years effort.....which resulted in the lowest average gates since 2001.

2. [iWho are these guys?[/i

I have scanned the wonderweb and found nada.....nothing...in fact less than nothing. Century 21 are a real estate franchise...there is 21st Century Marketing which is an affiliate site....but seriously, nothing? if you type "Century 21 harlequins" into google you get a link to this site, york city knights site and a few houses sold by Century 21 on a Harlequin Road.
As a great believer in "self promotion"





....surely this company has some knowledge of and presence on the web

Also...and this is maybe a minor thing, but a quick scan of Linked in Shows no sign of Mr Barker. As I say, maybe minor, but he appears nowhere on the google searches.....a worry for a man who has a company that[i specialises in marketing, communications.... [/i

3. [i...just completed successful sponsorship activation projects for Guinness and StanJames.com at last week's Cheltenham National Hunt Festival[/i

Hardly "sand to the Arabs" is it? Also, sponsorship activation projects.......to me, that sounds like they provided "front end" support (pretty girls handing out free stuff). If they had negotiated the sponsorship deal, then I am sure that Mr Barker would have said it in his statement.

4. [iThe appointment is a declaration of intent by the London Super League licence holder of its commitment to the development of professional rugby league in the south-east.[/i
No...it's like Wakey & Castleford saying that they WILL have a new stadium. We employed these guys last year...it's a conract renewal and a bit of bluster ....that is IMO of course.

5. [iWe are excited about the potential of rugby league in London and the south-east [/i

...enough of this potential rubbish.

Seriously, Hogg, Blanchard...even Branson have spouted this line since as long as I can recall...stop fu(king saying in and do something about it



OK.....so there's my initial thoughts on this. As I did with the other appointees to various roles, I will give them time to prove me wrong, but I am not expecting anything to change on the attendance front in the immediate future.

My thoughts on this are well know to all on here and the club....stop messing about trying to do it on the cheap...employ a marketing professional (no..not me...a proper heavy hitter) on a decent salary with a decent budget.....otherwise there really isn't much point in worrying about crowds or sponsors.

As for Century 21...I will continue to have a dig around and have emailed some agency friends in London asking to do the same......but no web site in this day and age in their particular space has me more than slightly concerned.

I must admit GF I googled them and found an estate agents and then York City Knights site.

Trying to be positive its possible better than what we have-Lets wait and see

Nothing on companies house either.

Is it a Paul Faires enterprise?

If you can make sense of this [url=http://www.octagon-uk.com/content.aspx?menu=41"Madmenspeak"[/url then your a better person than I.

[ie.g "Octagon developed a robust activation and leverage strategy that delivered among other things measurable business outcomes and a proprietary asset management system."[/i



It's not likely to win a Plain English Award for 2011.


You could always play ............[url=http://lurkertech.com/buzzword-bingo/Buzzword Bingo[/url aka Corporate bull**** bingo if suitably bored.

3 games into the season and we are on an average 2480.......3052 is the lowest gate for an FC game in London since 2001...whatever it is these guys do, they's better hurry up and start doing it

If they can play for the full 80 minutes they will get my vote

There was a QRL "presence" outside Twickenham Station today which was good to see. Dishing out £10 entry vouchers to holders of tickets for the Sharks/Crusaders game. Would be interesting to see how many we picked up from this today.

Saw a few in Sharks shirts.Hopefully they would have left before the end thinking Quins had won comfortably!

None ............................ if the 3052 gate is to be believed???

When I turned up at the gate there were a handful of strays buying tickets