The British and Irish Lions have announced the formation of a new partnership with the United Rugby Championship and English Premiership Rugby for the 2025 Lions Tour to Australia.
The partnership will see the Lions working collaboratively with the two tournaments and their clubs to enhance the Tour’s offering.
A critical aspect of this is alignment on the Tour schedule and this agreement will now enable all selected British and Irish Lions players to be available for all pre-tour activities. The partnership will also facilitate a collaborative approach to digital content, events and key announcements, as well as other marketing and promotional activities.
“We are thrilled to be working in partnership with Premiership Rugby and United Rugby Championship and want to thank them for their support in reaching this landmark agreement,” said Ben Calveley, British and Irish Lions CEO.
“Our relationship with the clubs, who are the guardians of all potential Lions, is critical to any success we have, and we are committed to working with Premiership Rugby and United Rugby Championship in a spirit of collaboration.”
“It is crucial that this agreement benefits not just The British and Irish Lions but also Premiership Rugby and United Rugby Championship. Our ambition is to make 2025 the greatest Lions Tour ever and we believe the opportunities for collaboration across marketing, promotional and wider activity will add significant value to all organisations.
“Throughout the professional era our league has been home to an extraordinary number of British & Irish Lions and we are always proud to give our players the best chance of pulling on that famous red jersey,” added Martin Anayi, CEO, United Rugby Championship.
“For every tour in the professional era our league has always supported the Lions and their touring schedule because their continued success will always help grow interest in our sport.”
“The upcoming British & Irish Lions Tour will see new levels of collaboration between all of our organisations to celebrate what is a landmark moment in the rugby calendar. It is a valuable opportunity to really grab the attention of the wider sporting audience while also bringing our most dedicated fans closer to the stories of their heroes than ever before.”
“We look forward to the tour to Australia in 2025 and watching players from the United Rugby Championship excel in the colours of The British & Irish Lions.”
