Businesses get on board for raffle
THE winners of the 2017 RAFC Business Raffle were drawn by the Mayor and Mayoress of Rochdale at a VIP luncheon event at the Town Hall on Wednesday.
Some 15 businesses entered the unique draw for the chance to win one of three lucrative prizes: • 12 months
sponsorship of the Willbutts Lane Stand
• Sponsorship of the First Team Shorts for the remainder of the 2017/18 season • 1 x Official Match Sponsorship package for the 2017/18 season
The club has confirmed Reside Estate Agency as the Crown Oil Arena’s new away stand sponsor, after the local family run business scooped first prize. As part of the package, the away stand will now be named the Reside Estate Agency Stand for the next 12 months, with branding set to be installed in the coming weeks.
For the remainder of the season, BMI The Highfield Hospital will now proudly be displayed on the first team’s playing shorts, after Rochdale based hospital won the shorts sponsorship package.
Long-term sponsor, Apogee, were drawn as winners of the match sponsorship package.
“We’ve once again been delighted with the response to our business raffle, with more businesses than last year getting involved this time round. It has been well-received for a second year and it brings important revenue into the club,” said Russ Green, Dale Chief Executive.
“We recognise that football stadia advertising can be financially beyond the budgets of many small businesses’, and with that in mind, we introduced this sponsorship opportunity to enable the club to forge new relationships and to build on existing relationships with businesses based in Rochdale and beyond.
“I would like to congratulate Reside Estate Agency, BMI The Highfield Hospital & Apogee on winning on our top prizes, and thank the 11 other business for supporting this initiative. Everyone is a winner, with the 11 businesses each receiving an advertising board and VIP hospitality tickets.”
Jason Diamond, Director of Reside Estate Agency, commented: “We’re absolutely elated. We entered last year and didn’t win, but when I was contacted about doing it again there was no hesitation to get involved again because we want to support the club.
“It’s a fabulously run club that needs to be supported by local people.
“The club is run well off the pitch, and there’s a fantastic team on the pitch that is led by a fantastic manager, so we want to get behind them in any way that we can.
“From our perspective, this stand sponsorship deal gives us a prime advertising spot. We’re a family run business, based on Smith Street, and the beauty of it is, is that the home fans actually look at our branding, so that’s the big advantage.”
Sales and Marketing Manager at BMI The Highfield Hospital, Janet Pass, added: “BMI The Highfield Hospital are extremely proud and thrilled to be sponsoring Rochdale AFC after winning the second prize in the Business Draw. Thank you to the Mayor for pulling our name out of ‘hat’. We were shocked to win and couldn’t wait to get back to the hospital to let the team know!”
In an excellent gesture, Apogee have decided to donate the Official Match Sponsorship package back to the club to use for a good cause. More will be announced in due course. The fifteen businesses that entered were: Apogee, BMI The Highfield Hospital, Carlsberg UK, David Lloyd, The Flying Horse Hotel, GTC Management, HTF Transport, NU Fire and Security, Options Coaches, Rochdale Boroughwide Housing, Reside Estate Agency, Target Fire, Taurus Security, The Wheatsheaf Shopping Centre and Venue Catering Partners.