European rugby chairman: Champions Cup is roaring back
There’s a new sponsor in town, rooted in the financial hubs across the globe, as Investec takes up the mantle as lead partner for the Champions Cup.
Taking over from a longstanding relationship between European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) and Heineken will take time to bed in for fans, but the Johannesburg-headquartered bank fits neatly with the recent addition of South African franchises in the competition.
And it opens the Champions Cup up to further markets in the likes of France, where restrictions on alcohol sponsorship affected the previous deal.
Champions Cup roaring back
It has been a difficult few years for rugby with Covid-19 forcing changes to the competition’s format. But those are being rolled back, much to the delight of fans, and the competition feels like it is resembling its old iconic self once again.
“The competition is roaring back,” EPCR chairman Dominic McKay says. “It has been roaring back off the back of a little bit of a hiccup following Covid-19. It’s roaring because you can see the quality of play, the quality of atmosphere around the games and the success of our finals.
“We have got an improved, enhanced format and we have gone back to pools, which is something that we needed for the competition. We needed to have a clear narrative for supporters. Going back to the more traditional format is massively important.
“But one of the things we are trying to do is link in with the broader rugby family, so making sure we have a broader role to play in bringing together our 42 clubs, three leagues, our eight countries and making sure that we show our best practice.”
Collective beneficiaries
As well as changes to the early stages of the tournament, the second-tier Challenge Cup has included two invitational teams – the Cheetahs of South Africa, who will be based out of Amsterdam, and Black Lion from Georgia’s capital Tbilisi.
It appears to be one of rugby’s more ambitious attempts at growing the game in markets both established and emerging, and the inclusion of new teams in new cities will undoubtedly bring its benefits.
“Historically, rugby has not always been brilliant at sharing ideas and working collaboratively but we are really beginning to motor now in improving that,” McKay adds.
“The collective clubs, leagues and unions are working hard together to drive the sport forward for the benefit of the players and for the benefit of the supporters.
“We have a lot of work to do to constantly premiumise our competition. We have the best possible sponsor family and I am thrilled we have brought on board as title sponsor of the Champions Cup.”