World Rugby and Societe Generale have renewed their long-standing worldwide partnership of Rugby World Cup for the 2023 event in France.
The first top tier Worldwide Partner to be confirmed for France 2023, Societe Generale will embark on a three-year journey towards the most sustainable and impactful Rugby World Cup ever.
The renewal between Rugby World Cup and one of the leading European financial services groups , reflects enormous partnership interest after a hugely successful edition in Japan, which widened the reach, appeal and impact of the sport in Asia, and attracted a raft of new commercial sponsors.
Societe Generale is a major supporter of rugby worldwide from grassroots to the elite game and has been a valued partner of Rugby World Cup since the 1991 edition.
World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said: “We are delighted to be extending our long-standing worldwide partnership with Societe Generale. The major French bank, Societe Generale shares values of integrity, solidarity, respect, discipline and passion with rugby, which have been evident during an association with the sport that stretches back more than 30 years.”
Societe Generale has become one of the most recognisable brands in rugby and a major supporter at international, union and domestic level as rugby continues to enjoy record participation, fan-base and commercial growth.
With World Rugby recently announcing a long-term host selection strategy for its men’s and women’s Rugby World Cups, the international federation is already experiencing record levels of interest for commercial partnerships. The full Worldwide Partner inventory for 2023 is on track to be completed before the event marks two years to go.
Societe Generale Chief Executive Officer Frédéric Oudéa said: “Societe Generale has been an historical partner of rugby. We share the sport’s values of teamwork and commitment, and we want to support its development in an inclusive way around the world. Our long-term engagement carries a special weight within the current sanitary context and economic uncertainty, which has affected the global rugby family. It was both a natural fit and our responsibility to partner for the seventh time with the next Rugby World Cup in France in 2023.”
Rugby World Cup 2019 was the most commercially successful rugby event of all time, with partners playing a full and active role in generating unforgettable moments for fans around the world.
Nielsen research has shown that the event has grown the global rugby fan-base by more than 50 million to a total of 400 million worldwide, while the 2019 edition set new attendance, audience and competitiveness records and delivered an unprecedented £4.3 billion in economic impact for the host nation and more than two million first time participants in Asia.
World Rugby Chief Executive Brett Gosper said: “Societe Generale are a valued and active partner, proactively supporting the growth of the sport worldwide and we are delighted that they are the first partnership to be announced for what will be a home Rugby World Cup for them. We are excited by their activation plans which support our mission to make the sport more accessible and exciting for audiences around the world.”
