The Newcastle Knights will today announce the largest single sponsorship deal in the club's history, said to involve advertising man John Singleton and home-grown brewery Bluetongue.
Singleton was the driving force behind the unsuccessful bid to secure an NRL franchise for the Central Coast and Gosford Stadium in 2004. He also has a 60 per cent share in the Newcastle advertising outfit Peach through his company STW Communications Group.
The Knights, who have formed an alliance with the giant Newcastle Wests Leagues Club, issued a media alert yesterday signalling a major sponsorship announcement. Knights chief executive officer Ken Conway said the sponsorship deal would "go a long way to securing the club's financial future".
He added: "This contract is the largest single sponsorship deal [for the Knights]."
Knights officials were tight-lipped about the exact details of the sponsorship but the Herald understands it involves Singleton and the Bluetongue brewery. The lucrative five-year deal will be in addition to the Knights' naming sponsor for 2006, Coal & Allied.
Believed to be worth "many millions of dollars", the sponsorship will guarantee the Knights major backing from companies with a strong Hunter identity.
Singleton would not comment any further on the proposed deal.
Source: SMH