Gloucester Rugby reveals major new sponsorship deal

Published by

Nicky Godding

Gloucester Rugby has announced shelving, racking and storage company BiGDUG as its new main club partner. The company, which has its headquarters in Gloucester, has taken over from long-time sponsor Mitsubishi Motors which, in a shock announcement last year revealed, it was pulling out of the UK. Mitsubishi Motors had been the club major sponsor for more than five years.

The BiGDUG logo will feature on the front of the 2021-22 Gloucester Rugby playing and replica kit which has been launched today.

The news comes just weeks after Gloucester Rugby revealed it is to make a multi-million-pound investment in the city, by building a new training facility – next door to its Kingsholm Stadium.

https://www.businessinnovationmag.co.uk/gloucester-rugby-unveils-plans-for-new-training-facility-next-to-kingsholm-stadium/

The kit celebrates the heritage of the Club and city, featuring the traditional cherry and white hoops with inspiration also drawn from the Gloucester city crest in the inclusion of chevrons.

The partnership extension will also see BiGDUG branding feature across all Gloucester Rugby literature, along with additional signage at Kingsholm including the Dugout and already rebranded tunnel.

The announcement further strengthens the relationship between the Club and BiGDUG; following the successful year long partnership.

Lance Bradley, Chief Executive Officer at Gloucester Rugby, said: “BiGDUG have been a pleasure to work with so far, and it was very clear that our positive relationship was destined for a fruitful partnership. Today marks another exciting new chapter for Gloucester Rugby and in challenging economic times, the commitment from BiGDUG comes at a crucial time for the Club.

“Everything we’ve done this year has been with the local community in mind - whether that’s through offering job opportunities as part of the Kick Start scheme, investing in world-class facilities in the centre of the city, or simply sending messages to some of our longest serving fans. The extended partnership with a prominent local brand, and the design of the new shirt is the perfect opportunity to take that sentiment into the new season.”

Chris Reilly, Managing Director at BiGDUG, said: “We’re very happy to be working with Gloucester Rugby once again this season, the extension is a testament to the strong relationship we’ve built over the last year.

“To be aligned with such an iconic Club and strong local brand is a privilege and the renewal of this relationship represents a new, exciting chapter for us to further strengthen our ties with the local area and Gloucester Rugby fans.”

BiGDUG was established in 2004 and in its latest 2019 company accounts reported an increased turnover of more than £26 million, up more than 11 per cent on the previous year.

Designed and produced by long-term partners Oxen, the kit commemorates Gloucester Rugby’s commitment to the local area and community links.

Lee Jenkinson, CEO of Elite Pro Sports, which is the exclusive retailer for the kit, said: “This season we wanted to continue to strengthen the link between Gloucester Rugby and the city itself, whilst supporting the Squad of Thousands campaign to highlight how important fans and partners are to the Club.

“We wanted to highlight that in the new kit and with Gloucester Rugby recently announcing the return of its training facilities to Gloucester, it seems like the perfect time to launch a shirt that celebrates both Club and city.”

The new shirt will feature the line ‘Squad of Thousands’ sublimated under the collar, with the playing shirt also featuring the names of fans who purchased a space as part of the Squad of Thousands campaign.

Nicky Godding

Nicky Godding is editor of The Business Magazine. Before her journalism career, she worked mainly in public relations moving into writing when she was invited to launch Retail Watch, a publication covering retail and real estate across Europe. After some years of constant travelling, she tucked away her passport and concentrated on business writing, co-founding a successful regional business magazine. She has interviewed some of the UK’s most successful entrepreneurs who have built multi-million-pound businesses and reported on many science and technology firsts. She reports on the region’s thriving business economy from start-ups, family businesses and multi-million-pound corporations, to the professionals that support their growth and the institutions that educate the next generation of business leaders.