RBS Extends Six Nations Championship Sponsorship Four Years

RBS Extends Deal With Rugby Championship, But Bank's Other Sponsorships Are In Doubt

RBS and the European Rugby Union's Six Nations Championship have reached a four-year sponsorship extension worth US$27.8M despite the bank becoming the "latest high-profile victim of the economic crisis yesterday," according to Kevin Eason of the LONDON TIMES. The Six Nations deal reportedly represents a 25% increase on the previous deal, which began in '03. However, the "rest of the bank's widespread portfolio of sports sponsorship may not be so safe." RBS is the official bank of the British Open and sponsors golfers Jack Nicklaus and Luke Donald, but golf "could be left massively exposed if government ministers pull the plug on RBS sponsorships." The bank counts former F1 driver Sir Jackie Stewart as an ambassador, and Stewart "steered the bank into a title sponsorship deal with the Williams team." But the deal, reportedly worth as much as US$13.9M per year, "is said to be safe until 2010." RBS also has sponsorships with ATP World Tour player Andy Murray (LONDON TIMES, 1/20). In Edinburgh, Bill Lothian reports the Six Nations extension was reached "before the full effects of the credit crunch on the bank became clear" (EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS, 1/20). The chart below lists major RBS sports sponsorships (THE DAILY).

RBS SPORTS SPONSORSHIPS
Six Nations Rugby tournament	The First Tee
Golfer Jack Nicklaus	Williams F1 team
PGAer Luke Donald	Former F1 driver Sir Jackie Stewart
LPGAer Paula Creamer	ATP World Tour player Andy Murray
British Open	ATP World Tour player Jamie Murray
USGA*	NatWest Series (English cricket)
PGA of America**	Citizens Bank Park^

NOTES: * = Includes U.S. Open, U.S. Women's Open. ** = Includes association with the Ryder Cup and sponsorship of PGA Championship. ^ = Citizens Bank part of RBS group.