Diageo Brands Sign Up To Lions

Diageo-owned brands Guinness and Bushmills have signed up as sponsors of the British & Irish Lions tour of South Africa in 2009.

Guinness, as an official sponsor of the 2009 tour, is the ‘Official Beer of the British & Irish Lions’, while Bushmills Irish whiskey, an official supplier to the tour, is the ‘Official Spirit of the British & Irish Lions’.

The deal furthers the rugby portfolio of both brands with Guinness adding to its official sponsor of English rugby’s top-flight league and Bushmills adding to its status as the official ‘Spirit of Irish Rugby’ and its ambassadorial deal with Irish rugby legend and ex-Lions captain Keith Wood.

The alignment with the British & Irish Lions will cover the 10-match tour of South Africa next summer, including three test Matches against the Springboks, the current Rugby World Cup champions running throughout June and early July.

HSBC has already been unveiled as the primary shirt sponsor of the British & Irish Lions for next summer’s tour.