The RFL last week confirmed that the logistics company had agreed to take over the naming rights to the English game’s elite competition, with the agreement officially unveiled on Wednesday. RFL chief executive Nigel Wood stated the League’s clubs rejected cash offers in favour of Stobart, which will display the Super League brand on its trucks as they travel across the country. He said nine of the 14 clubs voted for the deal.

Engage Mutual Assurance ended its seven-year sponsorship at the end of last season and paid in excess of £1 million per year for the exclusive rights. However, the RFL believes its agreement with Stobart will enable the League to attract additional partners under a new commercial strategy. “The title sponsorship in previous years was all-encompassing, in effect a lock-out of other brands,” said Wood, according to Press Association Sport. “This is the exact opposite. This has freed up inventory that is available which has a commercial value for other blue-chip brands to come in and support the Super League.”

He added: “You will see over the course of the next couple of months partnership packages supporting the Stobart sponsorship so that you will find that the sport as a whole is financially in the same position. We set ourselves the challenge of getting all the benefits of this enhanced visibility of profile without hurting the profit/loss account. We had lots of interest and there was more than one offer on the table but, without a shadow of doubt, the offer from Stobart was one the RFL and the clubs themselves thought was too good to turn down. It's a positive, progressive partnership which will move the sport forward. This is a fantastic deal for the sport.”