Bedford Blues sign new kit deal

Posted on Apr 14, 2011 in Latest Rugby News

Bedford Blues are pleased to announce another new signing for the coming season – new kit supplier Zoo Sport Ltd.

The new international sportswear manufacturer has signed a three year deal with Bedford Blues RFC to supply home and away kits, together with an exclusive range of official training wear for the first team squad and for supporters.

The kit deal is one of the biggest in Bedford’s history and Blues Chairman Geoff Irvine was pleased with the new signing: “We are very excited at the prospect of working with Zoo Sport who have demonstrated in their negotiations with the club an excellent understanding of the merchandise requirements of a modern club.

“We believe we will be able to deliver an improved product, particularly with the replica shirts, and we are all looking forward to the merchandise being available for purchase for the 2011-12 season.”

It has been a successful launch for Zoo Sport Ltd who already have a portfolio of sports clubs in Europe and the UK. Established in July 2010, Zoo Sport have looked at teams in the UK that replicate their own ambition and have the determination to succeed which fits with the companies ethos of ‘We Love to Win’.

Zoo Sport are relatively new to Rugby in this country but already have an excellent reputation for quality and service, supported by a strong sales, product and marketing background across a number of different sports.

By signing with Bedford Blues, Zoo Sport believe they have taken a step towards their aim of becoming a leading European sports brand by challenging established concepts and designs to create new and exciting performance sportswear all underpinned by an unrivalled commitment to service.

Zoo Sport Director, David Peyton, commented "Next season is really our first big step in the UK rugby market and it was vital for us to launch with the right kind of partner, Bedford Blues are exactly the type of club we want to be involved with.

“They are a club with a great history, steeped in tradition and with a loyal supportive fan base, everyone connected to the club follows our own aims and goals of “we love to win” and it is a great honour to have the chance to work with such an ambitious club and great management team.”

Looking after the contract on behalf of Zoo Sport is Ian Skingsley, experienced within both the Sports Teamwear market and as an ex Bedford player within the Rugby world. The contract commences June 2011 and the new range will be available from the 1 August.

Wasps extend sponsorship deal with EMC

Posted on Jan 14, 2011 in Rugby News

London Wasps today announced an extension to its agreement with the club’s title sponsor, EMC Computer Systems UK Ltd., which will take it through to the summer of 2012.

EMC became Wasps’ title sponsor at the start of the 2009/10 season, signing the most lucrative commercial partnership in Wasps’ history with a £1 Million, two year deal.

EMC is the world’s leading developer and provider of information infrastructure technology and solutions that enable organisations of all sizes to transform the way they compete and create value from their information. EMC helps its customers to effectively store, manage, protect, and share information, and is a thought-leader in the emerging Cloud Computing space.

As part of the long-term partnership between EMC and Wasps, EMC’s technological expertise has enabled the club to develop their information systems both on and off the pitch. Most recently this has been seen via the introduction of Iomega technology, utilised by Tony Hanks and his coaching team to streamline and improve storage and access to data. Use of this technology, via Wasps’ partnership with EMC, enables the coaching team to access vital information, videos and statistic at any time, be it at a game, on the road or at training, ensuring that information systems are working to their optimum level in order to support the needs of the team at all times.

In turn, EMC has been part – and reaped the rewards – of great brand exposure in two ground-breaking seasons for Wasps off the field. In 2010 the club launched its inaugural St. George’s Day Game at Twickenham which saw over 60,000 fans gather at the home of English rugby – a venture that EMC supported and which they will again in 2011 as preparations get underway for this year’s St. George’s Day fixture on 23rd April. More recently, Wasps also confirmed that their LV= Cup clash with Harlequins will be played in Abu Dhabi on the 30th January – a world first for domestic competitive rugby that enables both brands entry into new international markets.

Speaking on the news of the ongoing partnership, Adrian McDonald, Senior Vice-President, UK & Ireland, at EMC, said: “EMC’s partnership with London Wasps has prospered for eight years now, and we are thrilled to be extending our title sponsorship. This speaks both to the close and productive working relationship that exists between EMC and London Wasps, and also to the way in which the partnership has enabled EMC to achieve broader market awareness and to nurture some important commercial relationships.”

London Wasps Chief Executive Chris Thomas said, “We are delighted to continue our relationship with our title sponsor EMC. The club joined forces with EMC based on shared values and cornerstone principles; both standing as leaders in our fields and as organisations fuelled by ambition and desire for continued and enhanced success, and we have seen that symmetry develop and strengthen over the last two seasons.

“EMC has always expressed its desire to help fuel Wasps’ ambitions to be innovative and that was evident by the great level of support shown both for the inaugural St. George’s Day Game at Twickenham last year and the club’s forthcoming LV= Cup clash with Harlequins in Abu Dhabi. These projects are exciting for the game, the club, and of course our sponsors and partners as we work to find and drive new commercial and brand opportunities. EMC has been highly supportive and proactive throughout our partnership and we are excited by today’s news as we look to the future.”

EMC’s McDonald concluded: “It’s a matter of considerable pride to all of us at EMC that we can not only reflect on the success to-date of this long-term relationship, but that we will continue to leverage this to foster even closer connections with our customers in the UK and the communities in which we operate.”

London Irish and Trend Micro strike major sponsorship deal

Posted on Sep 16, 2010 in Championship, English Rugby

Richard Marsh, Commercial Director at London Irish said: “We are delighted to have secured a major new partnership with Trend Micro. They are a highly ambitious, major player within online security and have an ethos of continually striving for further success, this dovetails perfectly with London Irish. We are looking forward to developing our relationship further over the coming season and reaping the rewards both on and off the pitch.”

This is Trend Micro’s first commercial partnership in UK sport and they believe that supporting London Irish and its 2010/11 ambitions will provide a fantastic opportunity to raise awareness of their brand amongst a high social demographic. Rugby union is a sport with soaring popularity and this collaboration will help create awareness amongst rugby fans, sports enthusiasts and the general public across all business sectors.

Anthony O’Mara, SVP of EMEA at Trend Micro added: “We have been considering an investment in UK sport for some time and believe that with London Irish we have found a club that shares our core values and our collaboration will deliver great benefits for both parties. The partnership is an important part of a bigger education campaign, aimed at raising awareness around the importance of online security in making the internet an enjoyable and safer place for people of all ages.”

Trend Micro has recently launched Titanium Maximum strength, security software that provides a completely new way to protect every consumer. Apart from faster response to threat, the software helps parents keep their children safe from cyber criminals and inappropriate content when they go online and can fight spam and other unsolicited commercial e-mail.

Black Ferns name team vs Australia

Posted on Aug 24, 2010 in Rugby News, Women's Rugby

Black Ferns Coach Brian Evans and his Assistant Coach Grant Hansen have named their team to take on Australia in New Zealand’s second pool game at the IRB Women’s Rugby World Cup in England early tomorrow morning (NZT).

The starting line-up sees five changes from the side that beat South Africa 55-3 in the opening pool match with Canterbury prop Steph Te Ohaere-Fox and Auckland’s Victoria Grant and Linda Itunu coming in as winger and flanker respectively.  Canterbury prop Mel Bosman and Wellington utility back Rebecca Hull come off the bench from the opening pool game to make their first start of the tournament.

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Guinness Premiership, ESPN reach rights agreement

Posted on Dec 14, 2009 in Rugby News

Multi-Year Deal Brings 43 Live Matches and Exclusive Coverage of Final to ESPN in UK

Premier Rugby and ESPN have agreed a three year contract for exclusive live rights to 43 matches per season from the Guinness Premiership, beginning next season and running through to the 2012-2013 season, including exclusive live coverage of the Guinness Premiership Final and one of the two semi-final matches. The agreement also provides highlight rights for use on ESPN digital media such as ESPNScrum.com.

Jon Varney, Commercial Director of Premier Rugby said, “This deal with ESPN secures a partnership with one of the world’s leading broadcasters, who become yet another blue chip supporter of club rugby in England.

“Starting next season, our new television deals mean we have doubled the number of live televised Premiership matches, which will further raise the profile of the sport in the UK and overseas and will allow our clubs and sponsors to derive even greater exposure and value. It also means supporters have more chance to see their team on live television.

“ESPN are renowned for their innovation and we are all genuinely excited about the opportunity of working with them to drive value in both our businesses.”

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