NSWRL kicks off season with new partner Ignite HQ
The NSWRL will kick off the 2022 season in strong fashion with community rewards partner Ignite HQ coming on board as a major backer for NSW Rugby League grassroots football as well as assuming naming rights for the NSWRL Centre of Excellence.
The NSWRL will administer 15 competitions in 2022, with most Major Competitions including The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup starting on Saturday 12 March; and the Harvey Norman NSW Women’s Premiership kicking off in April; while Junior Representatives has been underway since February.
The NSWRL Centre of Excellence will now be officially known as Ignite HQ Centre of Excellence, with the Ignite HQ logo also to feature on the jerseys of all Junior Rugby League participants across NSW.
In another significant show of support, Ignite HQ will also be displayed on the back and bottom of the jerseys for both the Brydens Lawyers NSW Blues and the Harvey Norman NSW Sky Blues.
It is the first time a partner has been displayed in this area and reinforces the reputation of the sky blue jersey as one of the most highly sought-after commercial assets in Australian sport.
“The NSWRL is proud to launch its season for 2022 as it’s always an exciting time for the organisation and a testament to the strength of our brand that we can continue to bring on new partners to invest in our great game,” NSWRL Chief Commercial Officer Jodie Cross said.
“There is a great symmetry between the NSWRL and Ignite HQ, as we are both heavily invested in community, and their move to support both grassroots football and the elite level with the Brydens Lawyers NSW Blues and Harvey Norman NSW Sky Blues reflects their passion for Rugby League.”
Ignite HQ Director of Wealth Management Peter Kaleski said: “We are extremely excited about our partnership with NSW Rugby League and the opportunity to support and raise funds for grassroots Rugby League clubs.
“Grassroots footy is about more than just the game, it’s also about the community it creates, and the mental, social and educational benefit the sport can offer to everyone involved.”
The NSWRL invests heavily in grassroots football every season, with record participation numbers (107,528) signing up to play the game last season; male participants registering their best figures in six years and female participation smashing through the 20,000 mark for the first time in history.
The early indications are participation numbers are already tracking better than last year’s record, which reflects the game’s importance to the community as it continues to deal with the challenges the COVID-19 pandemic has caused for the past two seasons.
The 15 competitions the NSWRL will administer this season include Major Competitions The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup, Harvey Norman NSW Women’s Premiership, Jersey Flegg Cup, Ron Massey Cup, Illawarra Mojo Homes Cup, Denton Engineering Cup (Newcastle), Peter McDonald Premiership (Western NSW), Sydney Shield and the Men’s and Women’s Country Championships.
The Junior Representatives competitions include the SG Ball Cup, Harvey Norman NSW Tarsha Gale Cup, SLE Laurie Daley Cup, Harold Matthews Cup and SLE Andrew Johns Cup.
The NSWRL season will also see the Brydens Lawyers NSW Blues return to Sydney for the first time since 2020 to defend their title as State of Origin Champions; the Harvey Norman NSW Sky Blues will be looking to reclaim the Shield off Queensland; while the Country v City concept involving six different games that reflects the diversity of Rugby League will be staged in May.
“There is so much to look forward to in the 2022 NSWRL season with Rugby League back bigger and better than ever,” NSWRL Head of Football Robert Lowrie said.
“Rugby League has always had an important role in helping the community to come together and really is the game for all.”
