Ulster Bank and parent company RBS have informed the Six Nations tournament organisers that their 15 year sponsorship will not be renewed after next year’s Championship.
The decision will bring to a close what is one of the longest running, most high-profile sponsorships ever seen in the sport.
RBS became the title sponsor of the Six Nations in advance of the 2003 Championship. In Ireland the partnership has always been used by Ulster Bank to promote its services. The bank has also been a long term community partner of Irish rugby.
Read about Ulster Bank’s Continued association with Irish Rugby
That deal remains in place having been extended in January of this year to run for an additional three years through the 2018 season.
“All good things must come to a natural end at some point,” said John Feehan CEO of Six Nations Rugby.
“As mutually beneficial as the relationship is, it is now time after 15 successful and fulfilling years to seek a new title sponsor to partner our great event and go forward with us into the future.”
“We wish to extend our sincere thanks and appreciation to RBS for the valuable support we have received from the Bank over many years. We look forward to our final year with RBS in 2017 and we will wish them well in the future, as they also move on to other opportunities and initiatives.”
Read about why Vodafone felt Irish Rugby was a great partnership opportunity
“RBS has sponsored the Six Nations since 2003 and it has been a long and successful partnership which has brought tangible benefits to our business,” added David Wheldon, Chief Marketing Officer for RBS.”
“However, as a bank we are now looking at realigning our sponsorship strategy to our customer facing brands, so we feel the time is right to look for alternative sponsorship assets that better fit with our brand strategy.”
“As we focus back on our home markets in the UK and Ireland, we have decided not to renew the sponsorship beyond 2017. We are delighted to have had the opportunity to play our part in supporting the development of the Six Nations Championship into the global spectacle it is today and in supporting the strong contribution it makes to the economies in which it is rooted.”
Read about Standard Life Investments sponsorship of the British and Irish Lions
Six Nations now begins the search for a new Title Sponsor for the 2018 Six Nations Championship and onwards. It is expected that the process will continue for several months and a new Championship Title Sponsor will be announced in due course.
The sponsorship market in international Rugby has been strong with Vodafone only last week coming on board in a €20 million four year deal with Ireland and Standard Life Investments taking over sponsorship of the 2017 British and Irish Lions Tour.
It has though been more challenging at club level with lower TV audiences for the European Champions’ Cup blamed for a slower than anticipated take up of positions on the multi sponsor roster that replaced Heineken’s stand alone partnership with that tournament.
