Queensland Rugby League "has been rocked by a multimillion-dollar sponsorship bungle after flogging off the famous Maroons Origin jumper at a bargain price in a last-minute discount deal," according to Peter Badel of the Brisbane COURIER-MAIL. In a "major embarrassment" for Queensland Rugby League execs, the naming rights to the Maroons jersey -- "one of the most powerful brands in Australian sport" -- have reportedly "fetched a paltry" A$80,000 ($60,600). Revelations of Queensland’s "woeful new deal come as its struggling rival," NSW, on Tuesday launched its '18 Origin jersey, worth in excess of A$1M ($760,000) a year. It is also understood the NSW women’s jersey comes with a price tag of about A$200,000 ($151,500) "for a game that is not even televised." It is one of "the worst administrative gaffes in the QRL’s 109-year history, with industry experts claiming the cut-price deal" has cost State of Origin’s "most successful team" at least A$2M ($1.5M). The Maroons have won 11 of the past 12 Origin series and "should have sponsors banging down the door" after a global sports marketing firm last year found that the Queensland jumper is worth A$42M in corporate value. The value of the naming-rights deal is "well shy" of the estimated A$650,000 paid last season by Suncorp, which "quit as major sponsor." Event broker Max Markson "lamented Queensland’s Origin fire sale." He said, "I literally cannot believe this deal -- it is pure madness. In my eyes, the Queensland jumper is worth at least A$600,000 ($454,500) a season" (COURIER-MAIL, 11/29).
