National Rugby League Canberra Raiders will begin the '13 season "with their most lucrative playing uniform of all time," according to Chris Wilson of the CANBERRA TIMES. The Raiders will sport a strip "bedazzled with an extraordinary $1.7M in sponsorship branding" -- the most the club has ever received for uniform sponsorship. The Raiders have renewed their sponsorship deal with Local Liquor, which will switch from the jersey sleeves to the shorts this year in a deal worth an estimated $180,000 per year. Canberra's major sponsorship agreement with Chinese technology company Huawei will increase to $1M in funding next season, complementing new sleeve sponsor Defence Housing Australia ($350,000) and back-of-shorts sponsor ACTTAB ($85,000). For the first time in a decade, the Raiders uniform will not carry the logo of foundation sponsor Canberra Milk. However, Canberra Milk GM Garry Sykes helped the Raiders secure the deal with Local Liquor and will maintain a $180,000 per year interest in the Raiders for the next three years. And "it has not stopped yet," with the Raiders soon announcing a new $100,000-a-year jersey sponsorship "on a unique and newly available space" -- the top of the chest (CANBERRA TIMES, 8/10).
