Commercial deals with sport-loving executives ‘the hardest to close’, says Rugby Union

Securing commercial deals has become harder for rugby union officials amid historical perceptions that brands only became sponsors because the boss loved the sport.

Australian Rugby Union head of partnerships, Pete Sciberras, said striking deals where board level executives are rugby lovers are “now often the hardest”.

Business leaders, cognisant of past suggestions that a sponsorship was based on a personal agenda rather than sound business strategy, are now having to convince the company of the reasons behind such a deal, he said.