British golfer and current US Open champion Rory McIlroy has signed a multi-million dollar sponsorship agreement with Santander UK, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Spanish banking group.
Although exact details of the deal have not been released, according to a number of reports, the North Irishman will receive an eight figure sum over several years under the agreement. In return the golfer is expected to wear the brand’s logo on his left shirt sleeve in tournaments for the duration of the deal, and will feature in an advertising campaign for the bank.
Rory McIlroy said of the deal: “Santander has been a huge supporter of Formula One over the past few years, and I think it is great that they are now looking at supporting golf in the UK as well. It is great to be part of a company with 25 million customers and as a big fan of motorsport it is a really big deal for me to be joining world champions Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button in their association with Santander. I am really pleased that my first TV advert, which is coming soon, will be the one I have filmed for Santander UK.”
Ana Botín, chief executive of Santander UK, added: “Since its inauguration in 2007, our corporate partnership with Vodafone McLaren Mercedes has been extremely successful for Santander UK. Building on success is what all good businesses do, which is why I am delighted we have been able to develop a new alliance in a different sport, with the UK's most famous golfer. Like Santander, Rory McIlroy, Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button, are all driven to do better."
In June, shortly before his victory at the US Open, SportsPro ranked McIlroy 21st in its list of the world’s most marketable athletes. McIlroy’s sponsors include Audemars Piguet, Footjoy, Jumeirah, Oakley, Skins, Sunseeker and Titleist, while Santander, in addition to Hamilton and Button, counts Formula One drivers Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa among its list of brand ambassadors.
Rory McIlroy – Santander
