A bit off topic but keep reading down.
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,21336745-5001023,00.html
THE NRL yesterday revealed sponsorship deals worth an extraordinary $120 million - making it the richest revenue-making day in rugby league history.
After weeks of criticism over failure to nail down a naming rights sponsor, the NRL announced Telstra as its chief backer for the next six years along with three other multi-million dollar deals.
"It's a huge day for rugby league," said NRL boss David Gallop.
Aside from the $90 million Telstra contract, Fosters will be naming rights partner for Friday night football, Bundaberg Rum naming rights sponsor to Monday night football and Coca-Cola as rugby league's new ball sponsor.
These three deals are worth a combined total of about $30 million.
The lucrative package provided a defiant response from the NRL towards a band of critics, who have recently accused the league's governing body of bungling complex aspects of the negotiations with Telstra.
"It has been very complicated and there have been a number of difficult issues," Gallop said.
"But it has been resolved through compromise from all parties.
"I have been horrified at the amount of mis-information that has been spread about the deal.
"That mis-information has been very counter-productive about what we have tried to achieve.
"It is pleasing this is all locked away before the season starts."
Souths CEO Shane Richardson applauded the Telstra deal.
"I always felt (the criticism) was a storm in a tea cup," Richardson said.
"Overall the Telstra deal is a good one for the game."
NRL Director of Commercial and Marketing, Paul Kind, added: "It is the culmination of 12 months of negotiating and is a fantastic result for the game commercially."
Telstra has also been confirmed as rugby league's new media partner until 2012.
Fans through NRL sites on Telstra's Next G and 3G mobiles and BigPond broadband – to be launched next month – will be able to access:
Full game replays.
Highlights and video updates on mobile and online.
Live results and statistics.
News, interviews and club-specific content, competitions and more.
Looks like Paul Kind is the man we should be talking to-sounds like he's had a big 12 months though.