Vodafone returns to Rugby as Super Rugby naming rights sponsor five years after ending all sport sponsorships

February 13, 2017 3:10

Vodafone’s on again off again relationship with the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) as a major sponsor has turned another page with the telco signing on as the headline sponsor of the Super Rugby series.

Vodafone has signed a four-year deal to be the naming rights sponsor of the competition, which hosts teams in Australia, South Africa and New Zealand.

The deal marks a return to sports sponsorship almost five years after Vodafone cut its ties with sport – axing agreements with the Vodafone V8 Supercar Team and Cricket Australia – in order to focus on rebuilding its network, which had been subjected to a series of embarrassing failures.

At the time executives said the phone company needed to get back to basics as a service provider rather than spending money on sponsorships.

Be a member to keep reading

Join Mumbrella Pro to access the Mumbrella archive and read our premium analysis of everything under the media and marketing umbrella.

Become a member

Simon Canning

Simon Canning was Mumbrella's marketing and advertising editor from 2015-2017. In a career spanning journalism and communications over more than 30 years Simon has become one of Australia’s most respected analysts and commentators on the advertising, marketing and media industries. A regular commentator on radio and TV, Simon has also worked in media in the US and UK .

Topics