Lexus to Sponsor Channel 4’s Coverage of Irish and Welsh Rugby Summer Internationals

Channel 4 has today announced that Lexus will be the sponsor of its live coverage of the rugby union summer internationals from 10th August, thanks to a deal negotiated by 4Sales and The&Partnership.

The agreement will see the luxury car brand’s idents - made by the The&Partnership and adapted from its current Channel 4 drama sponsorship - appear around broadcasts of Ireland and Wales’ home warm-up matches as the teams prepare for the Rugby World Cup in Japan later this year. It also includes Wales’ post-world cup fixture against the Barbarians on 30th November.

Channel 4 has signed deals with the Irish and Welsh Rugby Football Unions that includes broadcast coverage of their World Cup warm-up games. The featured matches will include Grand Slam-winners and reigning Six Nations Champions Wales against England on Saturday 17 August and Ireland on Saturday 31 August. Channel 4 will also broadcast Ireland’s match against Wales live from Dublin on 7th September and live coverage of Ireland versus Italy on 10th August. 

Rupinder Downie, brand partnerships leader at Channel 4, said: “Channel 4 has given millions of viewers access to some of the best sporting moments this year, and we’re delighted to be partnering with Lexus to bring audiences all the action from Ireland and Wales’ warm-up matches for Japan.”

Emma Lane, brand communications manager at Lexus, said: “We’re thrilled to be partnering with Channel 4 in sponsoring its coverage of the rugby summer internationals.  It offers us the perfect opportunity to reach our target audience with the new Lexus UX hybrid.”

Laura Varnam, head of partnerships at The&Partnership, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for Lexus to reach its upmarket audience with national scale and to tap into the growing buzz in the build up to the games in Japan.”