Bradford Bulls today announced a "substantial" sponsorship deal for the 1999 season with an international sports equipment firm.

Asics, who already enjoy a successful partnership with the club after selling 20,000 team shirts last season, will replace Compaq as the main sponsor on home and away shirts during Super League IV.

Chairman Chris Caisley is delighted to secure the deal with a company who will be in the public eye this year due to supplying all the kits to the teams in the cricket World Cup.

The Bulls chief said: "It is very rare for a sports firm to have such a deal where the shirt supplier is the main sponsor.

"I believe we are the only rugby league club in this country to have such a deal and it is excellent to be recognised by Asics as a club they feel they can do this with. An important factor for us was that this is a year when their name will be synonymous with world sport due to the cricket World Cup."

The Bulls would not reveal how much the deal is worth although media manager Stuart Duffy said it was "a substantial sum".

He added: "Given the implications of the proposed on-going ground development discussions and the Millennium, the Bulls are particularly happy with a one-year agreement."

The new deal is a second major boost for the Bulls inside a week after it was revealed that the club had reached a record amount in British rugby league for season ticket sales. The Bulls predict the current total will increase by a further £50,000 to £400,000 by the start of the season.

Caisley said: "The last few years have been a great time for Bradford sport and the indications are it is going to get even better. The response from our fans for season tickets has delighted everyone at the club.

"We feel it was important to follow the Compaq deal with another company which is equally prestigious. It will put a marker down for a major deal for the Millennium.

"We have already had strong indications from a number of firms that they would be vying for the position of major sponsor in the year 2000.

"This deal puts us right up there with the top clubs. We are an attractive proposition for the firm and I doubt anyone outside the Premiership in soccer bar Sunderland can sell many more team shirts than us last season."

Asics managing director Andrew Sharpe said: "The Bulls are a very forward thinking organisation and we feel that they are an ideal vehicle to increase our brand awareness across the country."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.