Admiral, the FTSE 100 financial services company, is set to become the principle partner of the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) from the start of the 2010/11 rugby season.
The partnership, brokered by Essentially, will see Admiral become the new WRU shirt sponsor in an initial three-year deal that will also see the Admiral logo on all secondary and training apparel. Additional benefits range from in-stadia signage to tickets for matches and access to international players.
Rugby is one of the most popular sports in the UK, and remains a key focus area for BBC Sport, which offers live coverage of all 6-Nations games, as well as all of the Welsh Rugby Autumn Internationals. The WRU currently boasts one of the strongest teams in global rugby and supplied 12 players to the British and Irish Lions Tour of South Africa in 2009, including Shane Williams, Jamie Roberts and Mike Phillips.
Charlotte Bennett, Marketing Director at Admiral says
"This is the first time Admiral has entered into sport sponsorship, but as a proud Welsh company there is no one better for us to sponsor than the Welsh national team. We look forward to a successful partnership with the WRU and the benefits we will see from our association with them. And I'm sure our employees will be thrilled to see the Admiral logo on the new team kit."
Roger Lewis, Group Executive of the WRU is delighted by the prospect of working with one of Wales' true business success stories:
"We are hugely excited to welcome Admiral on board as our principle partner. Admiral is a company we have long admired and like Welsh Rugby they have a proven track record and continue to strive to be the best of the best. We are looking forward to creating a partnership over the coming years that focuses on a number of business facets, but most importantly that delivers pride and enjoyment for all of their staff across Wales."
Mike Vandrau, Commercial Rights at Essentially, added:
"This is fantastic news for Welsh Rugby. Admiral remains a leader in the insurance sector and over the coming three years the WRU are looking to establish themselves as a leader on the rugby field; especially with the World Cup in 2011. This is a hugely exciting opportunity for a partnership between two of the biggest brands in the UK, who share great synergy and similar goals for the foreseeable future."
ENDS
For More Information:
Mike Vandrau
Commercial Rights, Essentially Group
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7820 7000
mike.vandrau@essentiallygroup.com
