Newcastle secures naming rights
sponsor

The Newcastle Knights received a huge financial boost today announcing a Coal and Allied as their naming rights sponsor. The Hunter Valley mining company penned a deal to sponsor the Knights for the remainder of 2005 and 2006. Club officials claim the deal is the biggest in the Knights history, with sources suggesting the figure is close to $600,000 a season.

Coal and Allied employ 1,400 in the Hunter region, and have enjoyed a close association with the Newcastle team over many years. While the Knights have been under considerable financial strain, and have not won a game yet this year, Coal and Allied Managing Director Grant Thorne see this sponsorship as demonstrating the importance of ??giving your friends a hand when they are doing it tough?. Knights CEO sees the deal as providing a basis to build further financial security. The Coal and Allied Brand will adorn the Knights jersey for the first time at Brookvale Oval on Sunday.