8:05 am, August 3, 2024
Arnold Clark has signed up to become the new principal partner of Scottish Rugby after agreeing a ‘multi-year deal’.
The arrangement will see the Car Dealer Top 100 winner have its logo plastered across the front of Scotland’s jerseys in matches involving the Men’s team, as well as the Under-20s.
The dealer group will also become the title sponsor of the Men’s and Women’s Premiership and National Leagues from the start of the 2024/25 season.
The firm replaces fellow dealer group Peter Vardy, which had been Scottish Rugby’s principal partner since 2021.
Bosses say the partnership represents a ‘significant investment’ and will see Scottish Rugby employees provided with vehicles to help with community work.
Russell Borrie, chief operating officer of Arnold Clark, said: ‘At Arnold Clark, we understand the positive impact of sport. It’s something that inspires, entertains, and, most importantly, brings people together to play, to watch and to voice their support.
‘Through our Community Fund, we’re proud to support teams at grassroots level and to provide young athletes with the opportunity to develop. And now, as shirt sponsors of the Scotland Men’s rugby team, we’re thrilled to empower their successes as they represent Scotland at the highest level.
‘This is a partnership built on shared values; both Arnold Clark and the Scottish Rugby are Scottish institutions with proven track records of success.
‘We both aim to be the best in our respective fields, and we know there is so much that we can learn from each other. We will share best practices and work closely together to set new standards as we work towards our common goals.
‘At Arnold Clark, we invest in people. We upskill our employees, build new careers through apprenticeships, and we work hard to give our customers the best possible experience.
‘This partnership is a significant investment for us – in the players, the coaches, and those who support the team. We believe that rugby is more than just a game; it’s a community – and we’re proud to be a part of it.’
The first Scotland Men’s kit to feature the Arnold Clark logo was released yesterday (Aug 2), while the away kit will be revealed on August 9.
Scottish Rugby’s head of business development, Charlie Simpson added: ‘It was clear Arnold Clark has exciting plans to expand its business beyond Scotland and Scottish Rugby provides a highly visible platform to help accelerate that growth both in the UK and beyond.
‘Aligning two proud Scottish organisations creates lots of opportunities and we welcome Arnold Clark’s commitment to community sport and desire to make the most of this partnership in the years to come.’
