Organisers of the 2023 Rugby World Cup remain confident about the sponsorship prospects for the tournament, despite the impact of the Covid-19 outbreak.
In an interview with L’Equipe, organising committee chief executive Claude Atcher indicated that the approach of signing brands to deals focused on social responsibility rather than solely on exposure would help offset the adverse impacts of the crisis on its ability to sign agreements.
Atcher said that organisers had already signed up three sponsors, with terms agreed on with two others who have yet to sign off their deals. He also said that there were two more deals in the progress of being negotiated.
Event services company GL Events Group was the first company to be signed up as an Official Sponsor of the tournament. Its agreement which will include in-stadium visibility at all 48 matches played during the tournament.
In addition, the Lyon-based GL Events group will provide its services to help facilitate the running of the competition, which will take place across France.
Atcher also revealed that World Rugby are looking into reducing some ticket prices for the less high-profile matches at the event.
He said: “We want to be in touch with the reality and the daily life of all French people, faced with an economic situation that will turn out to be ferocious. But I remain optimistic.”
In October 2019, World Rugby re-appointed IMG as its exclusive commercial partner agency for the next Rugby World Cup cycle through to the 2023 tournament. Under the new agreement, IMG continues to represent the sale of the tournament’s top-tier Worldwide Partner programme and overall commercial advisory services across the four-year cycle.
