The English Rugby Football Union (RFU) has extended and expanded its deal with Marriott Hotels & Resorts to cover the next four years.
The hotel brand, which operates the London Marriott Hotel Twickenham at the home of the RFU, will be an official partner of England Rugby and will assume the title role of the London Sevens event.
According to a release announcing the deal, the Marriott London Sevens 2012 promises to be bigger than last year's event, which saw over 100,000 people attend across two days of competition, as the event now constitutes the final leg of the HSBC Sevens World Series.
The new deal comes days after the RFU announced it was switching its kit supply deal from Nike to Canterbury and is the latest episode in a flurry of commercial activity at the organisation.
Sophie Goldschmidt, the RFU's chief commercial officer who joined last year from the NBA, said: "We’re delighted to be expanding our relationship with Marriott Hotels & Resorts for the next four years. It’s an exciting time for rugby in England, with the Marriott London Sevens in May, the 2015 Rugby World Cup and numerous other events in between. We look forward to working with Marriott to bring new opportunities to our fans and Marriott Hotels & Resorts guests.”
Osama Hirzalla, vice president brand marketing and ecommerce for Marriott International in Europe said, “We are thrilled to build on our existing relationship with the Rugby Football Union with this new strategic alliance. Already having a hotel within Twickenham Stadium itself, this new partnership cements Marriott’s support of England Rugby and gives exposure for our brand to a wider audience. The RFU and Marriott Hotels & Resorts are both brands that are defined by performance, excellence and passion, so this partnership is a perfect match.”
RFU – Marriott
