Premiership Rugby Set For Title Partner Search
Premiership Rugby has commenced a global search to identify a new title partner for the competition from the 2017/18 season, after current partner Aviva confirmed it will not be renewing its agreement beyond next season’s final.
“Aviva has been an outstanding partner during the last six years of huge growth for the competition, and we thank them for all their support,” said Mark McCafferty, chief executive of Premiership Rugby.
“Since they became our title sponsor we have seen our TV audiences increase by close to 50% and again this season we are on course to see attendances rise. Aviva has been a fundamental part of that commercial growth, as well as investing in our extensive community and grassroots development programmes.”
Andy Briggs, chief executive of Aviva UK Life said: “The partnership between Aviva and Premiership Rugby has been extremely strong ever since we first came together in 2010. In that time, Aviva Premiership Rugby has consolidated its position as one of the world’s leading club rugby competitions.
“The sponsorship has enabled us to offer unrivalled opportunities for our customers and helped us build the Aviva brand. We would like to pass on our thanks to Premiership Rugby and everyone who has been involved.
“Whilst the news is tinged with sadness, we are proud of the impact that we have had especially at a grassroots level through our Tackling Numbers programme – using the power of rugby to improve the financial literacy of youngsters across the 12 Premiership Rugby clubs. We are really excited about a brilliant final season as the club competition’s title sponsor, and we look forward to this with the same enthusiasm as the past six years. We wish Premiership Rugby, the 12 clubs and all their supporters the very best for the future.”
Mark McCafferty added: “The Premiership Rugby competition has a very strong UK following, and with one round remaining in this season’s competition we are heading for another exciting conclusion with the Aviva Premiership Rugby Final at Twickenham on 28 May.
“Premiership Rugby also has a substantially increasing international profile as the best and most competitive league in the world. The recently announced broadcast deal with NBC Sport in the USA along with a number of other new international TV agreements for 2016/17 will see Aviva Premiership Rugby broadcast in 200 countries, reaching more than 170 million households around the world.”
