Scottish Rugby has renewed the deal for naming rights on Murrayfield Stadium with BT for a further three years and secured a new main shirt sponsor in car dealers the Peter Vardy Group.
The new deals appear to be the final work of outgoing chief operating officer Dominic McKay, who leaves the organisation to take over as chief executive of Celtic Football Club next week.
McKay has been given leave to move to his new role some 11 weeks early, seemingly on the completion of these new sponsorship deals.
Ten years as BT Murrayfield
The updated deal with BT will mean the national stadium continues to be referred to as BT Murrayfield for a ten-year period. They will continue as front of shirt sponsors of the Scotland 7s team, but their logo will revert to a secondary spot on the men’s and women’s national shirts.
BT first signed up with Scottish rugby in a massive deal worth an estimated £20 million in 2014, helping launch the national academy system and sponsoring club competitions.
SRU chief executive Mark Dodson said: “It says everything about the quality and strength of our partnership with BT that we can conclude a further extension which will see us achieve 10 years of working together to support rugby in Scotland.
“I would like to thank Alan Lees and his BT colleagues for their continued support, especially over the past 12 months, which have been difficult for every business in the country.
“It is positive news for everyone involved in rugby in Scotland that BT will continue to work with us through this exciting extension.”
BT are also now a lead partner with Scottish Football and front of shirt sponsor with the national teams.
Car dealer is the new shirt sponsor
The Peter Vardy group, with dealerships all over Scotland including Dundee, Perth, Kirkcaldy and Dalgety Bay, has previously been Scottish Rugby’s principal car partners.
The new partnership begins with the yet-to-be-unveiled 2021-22 playing kit designed by Macron.
The group will also be the back of shirt sponsor for Scotland 7s from the 2021/22 season and the broad ranging deal also encompasses becoming the Edinburgh Rugby car partner, with branding also included on the capital pro-team kit.
“We have long been keen supporters of Scottish Rugby, both commercially and as fans. I believe we share similar values,” said Peter Vardy.
“We’ve built our business on passion, ambition, courage, and we see that lived out by these fantastic athletes every time they pull on the blue jersey. We are incredibly proud that our brand will be recognised with our national team.
“Commercially, of course, it is a fantastic opportunity to promote our brands across the UK and globally; over 8 million people watched the recent Scotland versus England game – that level of exposure is massive for us.
“Coming off the back of some exceptional performances from Scotland in the Guinness Six Nations, we are really excited about what the future holds for Scottish Rugby and now as Principal Partner we look forward to working together”.