PRO12 secures increased Guinness sponsorship four-year deal

At the launch of the PRO12 2016/2017 season in Lansdowne Road stadium in Dublin, Martin Anayi, the Irish/Iraqi CEO of the PRO 12, announced that the high-profile Irish global brand, Guinness, has agreed another four-year sponsorship deal for the multi-country league involving teams from Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales.

Speaking at the 2016/17 launch event at Aviva Stadium, Martin Anayi, said: “We’re thrilled to have Guinness on board for another four years and their continued support is a testament to the strength of our Championship which gets better with every passing season.

“The Guinness PRO12 is one of the most competitive and exciting competitions in world rugby. Last season we saw some brilliant rugby as Connacht Rugby claimed the trophy following a nail-biting final at BT Murrayfield.”

Oliver Loomes, country director, Diageo Ireland, said Guinness were looking forward to building on the strong relationships that had already been forged in the first two years of their title sponsorship of the Championship. The Dubliner said, “Guinness has a longstanding heritage in rugby at all levels, and I’m thrilled to announce that we have extended our partnership with PRO12 Rugby until 2020, continuing our commitment to the sport we all love".

Anayi also announced that the final for the PRO 12 2016/17 will be held in Lansdowne Road next 27 May with early bird tickets now on sale.  

With no host team/host city this year in their announcement, it's looking likely that the final location will move around the various capitals in subsequent seasons with the hope that the WRU will bid with Cardiff and FIR for Rome as the next likely destination cities.

This could be the most exciting season yet of the PRO12 with the final round set to feature a series of derby matches across all four unions, and if the last two seasons are anything to go by, practically every team will have something to play for in the final matches.

With an improved sponsorship deal now in place, Anayi and his team will turn their attention to negotiating a new TV deal for the PRO 12 with a number of new broadcasters/networks likely to be competing for TV rights including two new Irish TV networks from TV3 and from Eirsport who may compete with Sky Sports for rights as primary broadcaster with their respective links into Virgin Media and into ITV in the UK.  The BBC which holds terrestrial rights in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, may have a financial fight on its hands to keep control of its terrestrial dominance.

With an improved sponsorship deal now in place, Anayi and his team will turn their attention to negotiating a new TV deal for the PRO 12 with a number of new broadcasters/networks likely to be competing for TV rights including two new Irish TV networks from TV3 and from Eirsport who may compete with Sky Sports for rights as primary broadcaster with their respective links into Virgin Media and into ITV in the UK.  The BBC which holds terrestrial rights in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, may have a financial fight on its hands to keep control of its terrestrial dominance.

I'd expect Eirsport to bid for the rights. If they do we could see the next TV deal being at least double what it is now.

profitius wrote:

With an improved sponsorship deal now in place, Anayi and his team will turn their attention to negotiating a new TV deal for the PRO 12 with a number of new broadcasters/networks likely to be competing for TV rights including two new Irish TV networks from TV3 and from Eirsport who may compete with Sky Sports for rights as primary broadcaster with their respective links into Virgin Media and into ITV in the UK.  The BBC which holds terrestrial rights in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, may have a financial fight on its hands to keep control of its terrestrial dominance.

I'd expect Eirsport to bid for the rights. If they do we could see the next TV deal being at least double what it is now.

It's possible. Depends on how they decide to go about it. Terrestrial delivers numbers, but primary rights are more important and valuable. Eirsport have secured RWC 2019 and the Six Nations so RTE should have spare sports budget to bid for terrestrial and secondary online rights if they see it as a way to keep their presence in the sport.

Excellent news. Hopefully there's a real bidding war taking place for primary broadcaster and PRO12 get a fantastic deal.

Does anyone know when the next broadcasting deal will be announced? 2017?

Munchkin wrote:Excellent news. Hopefully there's a real bidding war taking place for primary broadcaster and PRO12 get a fantastic deal.

Does anyone know when the next broadcasting deal will be announced? 2017?

Current TV deal runs until end of 2017/18 season. So it's normally done about a year out from that.

Pot Hale wrote:

Anayi also announced that the final for the PRO 12 2016/17 will be held in Lansdowne Road next 27 May with early bird tickets now on sale.  It's likely that the final location will move around the various capitals in subsequent seasons with Cardiff and Rome the likely destination cities.

Well that sorts out a lot of arguments going on elsewhere on this forum. Hopefully they go Cardiff then Rome so that Rome comes up again in 2023 when they potentially will be hosting the RWC. Don't think it should be limited to capitals either. Any stadium with over 20k in a city with good transport links will do.

2016 Edinburgh
2017 Dublin
2018 Cardiff
2019 Rome
2020 Edinburgh/Glasgow
2021 Dublin/Belfast
2022 Cardiff
2023 Rome/Milan

Pot Hale wrote:At the launch of the PRO12 2016/2017 season in Lansdowne Road stadium in Dublin, Martin Anayi, the Irish/Iraqi CEO of the PRO 12, announced that the high-profile Irish global brand, Guinness, has agreed another four-year sponsorship deal for the multi-country league involving teams from Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales.

Speaking at the 2016/17 launch event at Aviva Stadium, Martin Anayi, said: “We’re thrilled to have Guinness on board for another four years and their continued support is a testament to the strength of our Championship which gets better with every passing season.

“The Guinness PRO12 is one of the most competitive and exciting competitions in world rugby. Last season we saw some brilliant rugby as Connacht Rugby claimed the trophy following a nail-biting final at BT Murrayfield.”

Oliver Loomes, country director, Diageo Ireland, said Guinness were looking forward to building on the strong relationships that had already been forged in the first two years of their title sponsorship of the Championship. The Dubliner said, “Guinness has a longstanding heritage in rugby at all levels, and I’m thrilled to announce that we have extended our partnership with PRO12 Rugby until 2020, continuing our commitment to the sport we all love".

Anayi also announced that the final for the PRO 12 2016/17 will be held in Lansdowne Road next 27 May with early bird tickets now on sale.  It's likely that the final location will move around the various capitals in subsequent seasons with Cardiff and Rome the likely destination cities.

This could be the most exciting season yet of the PRO12 with the final round set to feature a series of derby matches across all four unions, and if the last two seasons are anything to go by, practically every team will have something to play for in the final matches.

With an improved sponsorship deal now in place, Anayi and his team will turn their attention to negotiating a new TV deal for the PRO 12 with a number of new broadcasters/networks likely to be competing for TV rights including two new Irish TV networks from TV3 and from Eirsport who may compete with Sky Sports for rights as primary broadcaster with their respective links into Virgin Media and into ITV in the UK.  The BBC which holds terrestrial rights in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, may have a financial fight on its hands to keep control of its terrestrial dominance.

What is the source of this article? Thanks.

Hazel Sapling wrote:

Pot Hale wrote:

Anayi also announced that the final for the PRO 12 2016/17 will be held in Lansdowne Road next 27 May with early bird tickets now on sale.  It's likely that the final location will move around the various capitals in subsequent seasons with Cardiff and Rome the likely destination cities.

Well that sorts out a lot of arguments going on elsewhere on this forum. Hopefully they go Cardiff then Rome so that Rome comes up again in 2023 when they potentially will be hosting the RWC. Don't think it should be limited to capitals either. Any stadium with over 20k in a city with good transport links will do.

2016 Edinburgh
2017 Dublin
2018 Cardiff
2019 Rome
2020 Edinburgh/Glasgow
2021 Dublin/Belfast
2022 Cardiff
2023 Rome/Milan

It would be nice if they decided to move it around as you say. You could add in a couple more into that list. It may depend on what they would see as the minimum capacity they would want.

There's no mention of a bidding team or hosting authority this year so for the future it would be easier for them to just assign it around the various stadia/cities. Rome in 2023 is too long. In the next couple of seasons is better.

Pot Hale wrote:

Hazel Sapling wrote:

Pot Hale wrote:

Anayi also announced that the final for the PRO 12 2016/17 will be held in Lansdowne Road next 27 May with early bird tickets now on sale.  It's likely that the final location will move around the various capitals in subsequent seasons with Cardiff and Rome the likely destination cities.

Well that sorts out a lot of arguments going on elsewhere on this forum. Hopefully they go Cardiff then Rome so that Rome comes up again in 2023 when they potentially will be hosting the RWC. Don't think it should be limited to capitals either. Any stadium with over 20k in a city with good transport links will do.

2016 Edinburgh
2017 Dublin
2018 Cardiff
2019 Rome
2020 Edinburgh/Glasgow
2021 Dublin/Belfast
2022 Cardiff
2023 Rome/Milan

It would be nice if they decided to move it around as you say. You could add in a couple more into that list.   It may depend on what they would see as the minimum capacity they would want.  

There's no mention of a bidding team or hosting authority this year so for the future it would be easier for them to just assign it around the various stadia/cities.  Rome in 2023 is too long.  In the next couple of seasons is better.  

The second one is more a case of RWC, maybe play in Milan as a change of scenery but it does not really matter. Min criteria on stadium size depends really. I think 20k for now going up to 30k by 2020.

Also the article, I saw the first half is mostly on the Pro 12 website. Where is the bit about moving around the capitals?

Edinburgh had 35K (2 non-Scottish teams) - going back to 20K stadia would be regressive now.

Guinness will do a lot of work promoting the final in Dublin - should be a sell out.

Hazel Sapling wrote:

Pot Hale wrote:

Hazel Sapling wrote:

Pot Hale wrote:

Anayi also announced that the final for the PRO 12 2016/17 will be held in Lansdowne Road next 27 May with early bird tickets now on sale.  It's likely that the final location will move around the various capitals in subsequent seasons with Cardiff and Rome the likely destination cities.

Well that sorts out a lot of arguments going on elsewhere on this forum. Hopefully they go Cardiff then Rome so that Rome comes up again in 2023 when they potentially will be hosting the RWC. Don't think it should be limited to capitals either. Any stadium with over 20k in a city with good transport links will do.

2016 Edinburgh
2017 Dublin
2018 Cardiff
2019 Rome
2020 Edinburgh/Glasgow
2021 Dublin/Belfast
2022 Cardiff
2023 Rome/Milan

It would be nice if they decided to move it around as you say. You could add in a couple more into that list.   It may depend on what they would see as the minimum capacity they would want.  

There's no mention of a bidding team or hosting authority this year so for the future it would be easier for them to just assign it around the various stadia/cities.  Rome in 2023 is too long.  In the next couple of seasons is better.  

The second one is more a case of RWC, maybe play in Milan as a change of scenery but it does not really matter. Min criteria on stadium size depends really. I think 20k for now going up to 30k by 2020.

Also the article, I saw the first half is mostly on the Pro 12 website. Where is the bit about moving around the capitals?

The article is written by myself.  The direct quotes come from releases/PRO12/BBC.   The bit about moving around capitals is my opinion only.  It is based on there being no mention of a team/host authority bid or award for this year so I believe this is how they will run it going forward.  Anayi is quoted as saying: "...After the successes of the finals hosted in Belfast and Edinburgh, Aviva Stadium will provide another grand stage that rewards clubs, players and fans from across the Championship."

Leinster's website carries more of the news release on its site, but no mention of any involvement by them, so I reckon the PRO12 has dropped the tender process and are just going to move it around.  Cardiff and Rome are the next likely venues in my view.  I've edited the OP to clarify this.

Edit: The Guardian's story just published on the launch also alludes to the WRU bidding for Cardiff to host it in 2018.

Pot Hale wrote:
The article is written by myself.  The direct quotes come from releases/PRO12/BBC.   The bit about moving around capitals is my opinion only.  It is based on there being no mention of a team/host authority bid or award for this year so I believe this is how they will run it going forward.  Anayi is quoted as saying: "...After the successes of the finals hosted in Belfast and Edinburgh, Aviva Stadium will provide another grand stage that rewards clubs, players and fans from across the Championship."

Leinster's website carries more of the news release on its site, but no mention of any involvement by them, so I reckon the PRO12 has dropped the tender process and are just going to move it around.  Cardiff and Rome are the next likely venues in my view.  I've edited the OP to clarify this.

Edit: The Guardian's story just published on the launch also alludes to the WRU bidding for Cardiff to host it in 2018.

This is a new low. You stuck your opinion on the end in the hope it would look like an entire article, and you had to edit it when someone noticed.    Cringe.

Dai Llewod wrote:

Pot Hale wrote:
The article is written by myself.  The direct quotes come from releases/PRO12/BBC.   The bit about moving around capitals is my opinion only.  It is based on there being no mention of a team/host authority bid or award for this year so I believe this is how they will run it going forward.  Anayi is quoted as saying: "...After the successes of the finals hosted in Belfast and Edinburgh, Aviva Stadium will provide another grand stage that rewards clubs, players and fans from across the Championship."

Leinster's website carries more of the news release on its site, but no mention of any involvement by them, so I reckon the PRO12 has dropped the tender process and are just going to move it around.  Cardiff and Rome are the next likely venues in my view.  I've edited the OP to clarify this.

Edit: The Guardian's story just published on the launch also alludes to the WRU bidding for Cardiff to host it in 2018.

This is a new low. You stuck your opinion on the end in the hope it would look like an entire article, and you had to edit it when someone noticed.    Cringe.

Dai, I wrote the article as I have written plenty of other articles for this site and others. I didn't reference it as written by someone else. And when I was asked a question, I clarified the point.

Why don't you use the energy and time that you expend on general miserableness and inaccurate whinging and go put it to some positive use for a change? Maybe write an article yourself?

Just put him on foe list. Its all so

wolfball wrote:Just put him on foe list. Its all so

Yes have just done so.

Cool, back on topic, this is a really great sign for the league, and cheers for writing it up, I see nothing out of order in how you wrote it.

I am alot happier with Irish (and by extension PRO12) rugby now than at the beginning of the summer. The powers that be realise that we need a financially secure model outside of the english/french league (where we would just be absorbed) and are at least giving commercial negotiations a proper lash.

Did they give any figures on how much the sponsorship is worth?

profitius wrote:Did they give any figures on how much the sponsorship is worth?

Not that I've discovered so far.

Can't remember where I saw it now (probably Indo), but they said that the new sponsorship deal was worth substantially more than the previous 2.5m deal (which was over 2 years).

The value of Guinness (and Sky for that matter) is that they are very good at marketing.

Sin é wrote:Can't remember where I saw it now (probably Indo), but they said that the new sponsorship deal was worth substantially more than the previous 2.5m deal (which was over 2 years).

The value of Guinness (and Sky for that matter) is that they are very good at marketing.

Any links to that would be appreciated. Thanks.

Dai Llewod wrote:

Sin é wrote:Can't remember where I saw it now (probably Indo), but they said that the new sponsorship deal was worth substantially more than the previous 2.5m deal (which was over 2 years).

The value of Guinness (and Sky for that matter) is that they are very good at marketing.

Any links to that would be appreciated. Thanks.

the Indo wrote:There is a real determination within the Pro12 to shed its image as the poor relation of Europe's big three leagues, and with Guinness committing to another three-year sponsorship - believed to be a substantial increase on their current purported €2.5m deal - Anayi is aggressively pursuing a variety of proposals.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/guinness-pro12/pro12-refuse-to-give-up-on-moneyspinning-plan-to-bring-in-american-sides-34990667.html

That sounds very positive, Sin - thanks for that.

Sin é wrote:

Dai Llewod wrote:

Sin é wrote:Can't remember where I saw it now (probably Indo), but they said that the new sponsorship deal was worth substantially more than the previous 2.5m deal (which was over 2 years).

The value of Guinness (and Sky for that matter) is that they are very good at marketing.

Any links to that would be appreciated. Thanks.

the Indo wrote:There is a real determination within the Pro12 to shed its image as the poor relation of Europe's big three leagues, and with Guinness committing to another three-year sponsorship - believed to be a substantial increase on their current purported €2.5m deal - Anayi is aggressively pursuing a variety of proposals.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/guinness-pro12/pro12-refuse-to-give-up-on-moneyspinning-plan-to-bring-in-american-sides-34990667.html

Thanks - so we finally have a figure with which we can compare leagues. In 2014, :

the Pro12 was funded £1m by it's main sponsor compared to the Aviva Premeirship's £5m.

I'll refrain from commenting on that. I'm sure everyone can see the issue.

Dai Llewod wrote:

Sin é wrote:

Dai Llewod wrote:

Sin é wrote:Can't remember where I saw it now (probably Indo), but they said that the new sponsorship deal was worth substantially more than the previous 2.5m deal (which was over 2 years).

The value of Guinness (and Sky for that matter) is that they are very good at marketing.

Any links to that would be appreciated. Thanks.

the Indo wrote:There is a real determination within the Pro12 to shed its image as the poor relation of Europe's big three leagues, and with Guinness committing to another three-year sponsorship - believed to be a substantial increase on their current purported €2.5m deal - Anayi is aggressively pursuing a variety of proposals.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/guinness-pro12/pro12-refuse-to-give-up-on-moneyspinning-plan-to-bring-in-american-sides-34990667.html

Thanks -  so we finally have a figure with which we can compare leagues. In 2014, :

the Pro12 was funded £1m by it's main sponsor compared to the Aviva Premeirship's £5m.

I'll refrain from commenting on that. I'm sure everyone can see the issue.

Well, the Aviva Premiership didn't have the fans of one of the countries involved doing everything in their power to destroy the league.

With all the love bombing of the Welsh fans by the Pro12 Management, its going to be amusing to them scratch around for something to explain why they couldn't be arsed going to matches.

Desperate.

Giving yourself away there, Chunks