Gallagher and Premiership Rugby agree new sponsorship deal

By Paul Morgan
3/12/21

Premiership Rugby and Gallagher have today announced a multi-year renewal of their existing partnership.

Gallagher, one of the world’s largest insurance brokerage, risk management and consulting services companies, has reaffirmed its commitment to the sport as the official title partner to elite rugby’s most competitive league. The partnership extension builds on its first four years of a successful sponsorship that has delivered year-on-year increases in brand awareness and business value.

Grassroots engagement has also been central to Gallagher’s partnership alongside its support of the professional game, including its sponsorship of Project Rugby. Run in conjunction with Premiership Rugby and England Rugby, this ground-breaking community inclusion programme – which is set to welcome its milestone 70,000th participant – continues to break down barriers to participation in the sport and increase the accessibility of rugby to young people from under-represented groups and parts of society.

Having established itself as a professional sports competition of global relevance and reach, Gallagher Premiership Rugby now enjoys an international audience of more than 150 million households across 135 different territories, mirroring Gallagher’s own global footprint. In the UK, TV audiences watching Gallagher Premiership Rugby have grown strongly. BT Sport saw a 16% rise in the average audience last season – a level of growth that has continued into the 2021-22 campaign.

Christopher E. Mead, Chief Marketing Officer of Gallagher, said: “Gallagher Premiership Rugby is a league like no other; its combination of high-octane action and intense competition continue to attract an ever larger audience both in the UK and around the globe. That has taken the Gallagher brand into millions of new homes and businesses, created a better understanding of what we do and how we can help individuals and organisations manage personal and commercial risk. Through this new agreement, we look forward to strengthening a natural partnership between two increasingly globally-known and fast-growing franchises with shared values and ethical codes.

“Committing to extend our role as title partner will allow us to build on the fantastic awareness already generated by the partnership, deepen our connections with the communities surrounding the 13 Gallagher Premiership Rugby clubs and help us support local business partners with specialist advice and products tailored to their individual needs. Being able to welcome fans, including our own Gallagher colleagues and clients, back into stadiums has been brilliant and given us a powerful reminder of how sport can bring people and communities together.”

Mark Brittain, Chief Commercial Officer of Premiership Rugby, said: “Gallagher Premiership Rugby has never been more compelling and exciting as it is today and together, with Gallagher, we have found new ways to keep fans engaged, expand our audience and attract ever greater numbers, as we have continued to work together to grow the game. We’re delighted to have renewed our partnership and look forward to building on the last four years for the benefit of everyone involved in club rugby.

“In what has undoubtedly been a testing period for the sports industry, Gallagher has proved itself to be a strong ally and responsive partner ready to meet head-on the challenges the global pandemic levelled at the rugby community.”

The partnership renewal announcement comes the day after tickets for the 2021-22 season Gallagher Premiership Rugby Final became available to purchase www.premiershiprugby.com/final

To celebrate the extension of the partnership, Gallagher is offering fans the chance to win a VIP hospitality experience for 10 guests at the Final 2022 taking place at Twickenham on Saturday 18 June.