A Sports Stadium Named After an E-Liquid Manufacturer - Has Vaping Come That Far?
British vape company Totally Wicked has never been shy. Not only has it gained notoriety for challenging the EU’s draft tobacco directive in court, it has even dared to open a store next door to a Welsh politician who has proposed a ban on vaping.
Now they're putting their name right in the sporting spotlight. They've bought the naming rights to a professional rugby club's stadium in the north-west city of St. Helens. Starting next year, the St. Helens Saints' home ground will be known as the Totally Wicked Stadium.
The stadium, still called Langtree Park, has a capacity of 18,000. The naming agreement will run for five years. Totally Wicked have been sponsors of the club since 2013. The Totally Wicked logo will be featured on the players' uniforms.
You can vape while enjoying the game
The stadium does allow vaping. The club’s chairman, Eamonn McManus, told the Guardian that the partnership “has been a huge benefit to the club, not just financially, but in terms of furthering our health goals.”
“Clubs play a vital role not only in sport, but also in health and education. And in our four-year partnership with Totally Wicked, we have been able to create a supportive and vaping-friendly atmosphere within the club,” said McManus. “We believe this new agreement will be a pioneering move, not only to raise awareness of the negative effects of smoking but also to help people move away from the habit.”
Saints is one of 12 rugby clubs in the Super League, the top tier of European football. Eleven clubs are in England and one is in France. The clubs compete for the Australasian National Rugby League championship, which is held annually during the World Club Challenge. Saints has been in operation since 1873.
This article was published on Vaping360 by Jim McDonald and translated by The Vape Club
