Samsung Secures England Rugby Deal

The Rugby Football Union (RFU) has signed a three-year sponsorship agreement with Samsung that will see the brand become the Consumer Electronics & Smartphone Partner and Official Home Technology Partner to the governing body and England rugby team.

As part of the new deal, which covers next year’s Rugby World Cup in England, Samsung will install over 700 digital screens at Twickenham and some at Pennyhill Park, the England team’s Surrey training base.

Samsung’s Smart Signage and other coaching technologies will also be made available to over 2,000 RFU-affiliated grassroots rugby clubs across England.

The brand now has deals with both the rugby and football England national teams, after agreeing a new partnership with the FA ahead of the FIFA World Cup in Brazil earlier this year.

Coinciding with the new partnership announcement is the launch of the ‘Samsung Try of the Month’, a new competition to engage fans and players across all levels and age grades of rugby. Samsung Try of the Month will run throughout the 2014/2015 rugby season with fans and players encouraged to upload their nominations directly to the England Rugby website.

Each month nominated tries will be judged by a different England rugby personality, beginning with World Cup winner, Richard Hill. The winning rugby club will receive £1,000 to spend on the latest Samsung technology to upgrade their clubhouse facilities, with the winning nominee receiving the latest Samsung smartphone. 

Sophie Goldschmidt, RFU chief commercial & marketing officer, said: ‘We are delighted to welcome Samsung to our partnership family, a brand that is internationally renowned as an innovative industry leader. There are natural synergies between Samsung and the RFU, as sport and technology become increasingly intertwined and we both strive to be at the forefront within our specialty areas.’

‘This partnership importantly supports both the elite and grassroots levels. In 2012 we committed to invest £76m into the development of a modern, connected stadium, and the partnership with Samsung is another stepping stone to achieving our goal. We look forward to working closely with Samsung to benefit the future of English rugby.’

Andy Griffiths, President of Samsung Electronics UK, commented: ‘Samsung has long been committed to sport, both in the UK and globally, and we take pride in bringing fans closer to their passions and creating unforgettable experiences through our technology.’

‘Partnering with the RFU and England Rugby team is a very exciting step for us ahead of what will undoubtedly be a fantastic year for the nation. The installation of leading Samsung technology at Twickenham and Pennyhill Park will not only support the England team, but will bring fans closer to the game than ever before, ensuring that they don’t miss a single kick, try or tackle.’