St Helens R.F.C. is delighted to share the news that Principal Partners, Totally Wicked have extended their partnership with the Club for a further three years.
Saints partnership with Totally Wicked saw the principal naming rights for the stadium secured for five years from 2016, and that will now be extended until at least the end of 2025. As part of this renewed partnership, and in addition to the stadium naming rights being retained as the ‘Totally Wicked Stadium’, they will also retain sponsorship of the North Stand and their logo will continue to be prominently featured on both the home and away shirts of the Men’s and Women’s kits.
North West based Totally Wicked’s existing sponsorship of the Club is now in its 10th year, having sponsored the Totally Wicked North Stand since 2013 and been a sponsor of the shirt since 2014, and more latterly the stadium itself.
Saints is committed to supporting fans that wish to switch from smoking to a significantly less harmful alternative – vaping. A recent study funded by the (UK) National Institute of Health Research and Cancer Research UK, found that vaping was almost twice as effective as a combination of other Nicotine Replacement Therapy products in helping smokers quit.
Stats show that since Totally Wicked came on board with the Club, smoking rates have fallen in the area every year since 2015, when 20.3% of those aged 18 and over smoked. The office for National Statistics estimates 13.0 per cent of adults in St Helens smoked in 2019, further down from 15.8 in 2018. In 2021, St Helens was named among the top 10 UK areas with the highest quit smoking rates.
Government backed evidence states that vaping does not undermine the smoking ban within Stadiums, and there is no evidence of harm to bystanders from second-hand vapour from e-cigarettes.
Speaking about the new partnership St Helens R.F.C. Chief Executive Mike Rush said: “Totally Wicked has been a loyal and valuable supporter and sponsor of Saints for over a decade now and our partnership has gone from strength to strength over the years.
“The partnership is of massive benefit to us as a Club, but moreover their support to our fan base and wider community has not gone unmissed. Our charity, Saints Community Development Foundation is focussed on providing people with a healthier lifestyle and these are the same aims of Totally Wicked. The statistics don’t lie and the reduction of smokers in St Helens since Totally Wicked have come on board with us here in St Helens is fantastic to see, and we are proud to have them as our principle partner for at least another three years.”
Fraser Cropper, Totally Wicked’s Chairman concluded: “We are very pleased to be able to continue our relationship with the Super League’s most successful club.
“This new agreement will extend our stadium naming rights for a further 3 years, out until the end of 2025 season and will mark 13 continuous years of Totally Wicked sponsorship of St Helens R.L.F.C.
“I said in 2016 at the signing of our stadium naming rights agreement that ‘…it is a privilege and a responsibility which we will cherish and respect to be part of a club with such heritage.’ This sentiment remains true today. We are proud to be associated with a club that is so central to its local community, that is respected and revered across world Rugby and has embedded a culture of commitment to excellence and integrity. We will ensure that our association continues to demonstrate complementary ethics and we hope to be able to continue our support for many years to come”.
Smokers who get the right support are 3 times as likely to quit successfully as those who try to quit unaided. If you or someone you know is looking to kick the habit this year, contact our local Smokefree St Helens service by clicking here.
