The Windsor Motor Group is replacing Volkswagen as the official vehicle partner of Leinster Rugby. Ireland’s largest retail motor group will provide Leinster Rugby’s players and coaching staff with a fleet of over 30 cars from the award winning Nissan range.
The partnership is for an initial two years and represents a first step into sports sponsorship for the group. It operates nine Nissan dealerships, two for Opel and one each for Peugeot and Mazda.
Nissan has become much more involved again in sport as sponsor of the UEFA Champions’ League, as a sponsor of six young Irish sports stars through the Generation Next programme and as official vehicle partner to the VHI Women’s Mini Marathon.
Opel has a long standing association with the Gaelic Players Association while Mazda is associated with Connacht Rugby.
Volkswagen announced in March that they were to end their six year relationship with Leinster and will concentrate on their existing relationship with the IRFU at national level and with Ireland manager Joe Schmidt as brand ambassador.
Increased motor sales have seen a strong return to sports association from others including Toyota who focus on individual deals with stars including Paul O’Connell and Katie Taylor, Jonathan Sexton, Stephen Cluxton and Kevin O’Brien.
They are also suppliers to the Dublin GAA team and Cricket Ireland.
BMW are involved with the Irish Open while Volvo have just completed a very visible local partnership in sailing around the Dun Laoghaire regatta.
Seat are the official vehicle partners of Munster Rugby while Hyundai were the high profile sponsors of RTÉ’s World Cup coverage in 2014.
As in sport, so in business that competition brings the best out in terms of innovation and imagination and we will look forward to seeing how Windsor Motor Group seeks to leverage its different brands and their respective sporting deals.
“We are delighted to announce the Windsor Motor Group’s partnership as the official vehicle supplier to Leinster Rugby which represents the coming together of two hugely successful brands who share a proud history of achievement and a driving ambition to always be at the top of their game,” said Neil O’Sullivan, Sales Director for the Windsor Motor Group.
“The announcement comes at a every exciting time for the Windsor Motor Group and our 300 staff. We are Ireland’s largest retail motor group with over 50 years experience in the Irish motor trade. We are very excited about activating the sponsorship across our dealer network and teaming up with Leinster Rugby to engage fans across the province,” he added.
As part of the sponsorship activation Leinster fans can look forward to a number of planned VIP ticket giveaways around big matches and to new opportunities to support the team through social media and digital activation. Young rugby players will also be given the opportunity to meet and learn from top Leinster Rugby players.
“Leinster Rugby is delighted to welcome Windsor Motor Group as our Official Vehicle Supplier” said Leinster Rugby CEO Michael Dawson.
“Our players and coaching staff are back in full training now ahead of the new season and we are looking forward to an exciting year ahead for everyone involved in Leinster Rugby.”
“We are fortunate to have the support of superb commercial partners such as Windsor Motor Group and the players are thrilled with the Nissan range of cars received as part of this agreement.”
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