Societe Generale strikes Rugby World Cup tie-up

by Drew Barrand, Marketing 11-May-05, 09:15

Societe Generale has become the first company to sign up as a global sponsorship partner for the 2007 Rugby World Cup in a deal worth close to £3.5m.

The banking giant is the first of six global partners being sought by the IRB Rugby World Cup Board for the tournament.

The event is being hosted by France, although a number of games will take place in the UK due to a long-term deal struck between the French Rugby Federation (FFR) and its Irish, Scottish and Welsh counterparts.

The tournament's organisers expect to make a minimum of £60m from the sale of sponsorship and TV rights to the 2007 tournament. The brands filling the five remaining top-tier sponsorship slots are thought to be Visa, France Telecom, international energy group EDF, car manufacturer Peugeot and GMF Insurance, although these agreements have yet to be finalised.

The package provides Societe Generale with category exclusivity for retail banking and financial services.

Though headquartered in Paris, Societe Generale operates across Europe and has a UK division, which focuses on corporate banking and asset management.

The financial services company, which was a sponsor of the 1999 Rugby World Cup, is a major investor in French rugby and has a number of sponsorship deals both with the national side and the domestic league.

ITV Sport is set to broadcast the 2007 Rugby World Cup after agreeing a two-tournament contract, worth an estimated £40m, ahead of the 2003 event, which was won by England after beating Australia in Sydney.