O2 and the Rugby Football Union (RFU) have signed fresh terms for a new five-year deal. This deal will see the telecommunications company continue as the Principal Shirt Partner for England’s men’s and women’s rugby teams. The new deal is worth around $9.6 million per year and will see O2 commit equally funding to the men’s and women’s game during the next five years.
The new contract extends the association between two parties for over three decades, making it one of the longest-running shirt sponsorships in sports history. The news comes a month after the RFU called for a UK government bailout as it seeks to mitigate huge losses resulting from the coronavirus pandemic.
O2 will continue its behind-the-scenes content series Inside Line, which features content from inside training camps, live broadcasts from camps during test week, and exclusive pre and post-match content from the O2 Blueroom. RFU and O2 will also work towards improving rugby at the grassroot level in England.
Bill Sweeney, CEO at RFU, said, “O2 has been a loyal supporter of England Rugby, a partnership that has lasted for 25 years and we are proud to continue to carry their logo front and center on our shirts for a further five years.”
Nina Bibby, CMO at O2, said, “There has never been a more important time to get behind rugby, a sport we love and have invested in for over 25 years. We are proud to support the RFU through our extended partnership, which we believe is the longest shirt sponsorship in the history of UK sport.”