This ad will be closed automatically in X seconds.

British & Irish Lions line up with IMG

The British & Irish Lions has appointed IMG as its worldwide licensing agency in a multi-year deal through 2027.

The partnership will see IMG develop a wide range of licensed products for fans of the iconic rugby union team, as they prepare for their eagerly anticipated tour of Australia in 2025.

Inspired by the team’s rich legacy and identity, The British & Irish Lions branded range will include fan merchandise, fashion apparel and sporting accessories for all genders and ages.

The new partnership will aim to further grow the Lions brand beyond the field and into new markets through innovative and authentic collaborations and experiences.

Every four years, the best players from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales are selected to travel to the southern hemisphere to take on Australia, New Zealand or South Africa on landmark tours.

In addition, The British & Irish Lions is currently exploring the concept of an inaugural Lions Women’s Tour following positive findings arising from a feasibility study which investigated all key aspects of creating a first ever Lions Women’s Tour. The British & Irish Lions has a global fan base of almost 14 million people and the new agreement with IMG will help bring the fans closer to the Lions, giving them new and varied avenues to engage with the team.

“We are delighted to be partnering with IMG in what is an exciting period for the organisation as we build towards the eagerly anticipated 2025 Tour to Australia and beyond,” commented Tom Halsey, commercial director at The British & Irish Lions. “The British & Irish Lions brand and organisation has never been stronger with a growing global fan base, a strong level of engagement through our various digital platforms, and a range of commercial partners comprised of some of the biggest brands and organisations in the world.

“This partnership comes at a critical time as our preparation for the 2025 Tour continues to ramp up and underlines our long-term strategic ambition, which is to be the most successful and admired sporting brand. To achieve this, we need to be working alongside the very best agencies and IMG fall into that category. Partnering with IMG will allow us to grow The British & Irish Lions brand further by helping us to connect with fans on a broader scale providing them with high-quality Lions merchandise and experiences.”

Mickael Andreo, vp of licensing at IMG, continued: “With more than a century of history and tradition and high resonance across the globe, The British & Irish Lions is one of the strongest brands in sports. The fans are at the core of the team’s legacy, making every tour memorable in its own way. We are honoured to work with The British & Irish Lions to help capture the imagination of a new generation of rugby and broader sports fans and ensure that the 2025 Tour is the most iconic one yet.”

As World Rugby’s global master licensee, IMG has already delivered licensing programmes for the Rugby World Cup 2023 and 2019, as well as the Women’s Rugby World Cup and the World Rugby U20 Championship. It also exclusively represents the global licensing rights for Fédération Française de Rugby (FFR).

Want to read more news like this? Simply sign up to our daily digest by clicking here. You can also follow @LicensingSource on Twitter and @licensing_source on Instagram.

MORE NEWS
TfLlunchbox500x500
 
Designed by creative agency Crush Creative, the guide includes a set of colourful, illustrated assets that draw on TfL’s heritage and serve as a toolkit for licensees developing products for young audiences....
Tulipop500x500
 
Tulipop Studios - creator and owner of the Icelandic character-based Tulipop IP - is growing into new markets having secured a number of fresh deals....
YakkaDee500x500
 
Rachel Bardill and Liz Keynes - both well known and respected family and children's brand strategists - have come on board to further drive awareness for the preschool show....
AliceBurden500x500
 
In her new role, Alice will be responsible for steering and driving forward the strategic and creative direction of Toon2Tango, focusing on storytelling and creative development....
job
 
H&A is looking to further strengthen its team with the appointment of a supply chain planner....
SManners500x500
 
Industry trade body, Licensing International has responded to Labour's Budget from earlier this week, saying that moving forward 'beloved brands' will be more important than ever before in providing a point of difference....
Get the latest news sent to your inbox
Subscribe to our daily newsletter

The list doesn't exist! Make sure you have imported the list on the 'Manage List Forms' page.