British & Irish Lions reveal new jersey sponsor

The British & Irish Lions have revealed Howden - a global insurance group - as its new principal partner and jersey sponsor.

The four-year deal will see Howden become a principal partner of the Lions, with their logo prominently displayed on the front of the team's shirts for the upcoming 2025 Lions Tour to Australia.

They will replace Vodafone, who were the main sponsor of the 2021 tour to South Africa.

Howden also want to aid the women's game, with the insurance group looking to expand their investment into the Lions Women’s programme as the famous touring party explores the possibility of a historic inaugural Lions Women’s Tour.

Howden's support will also extend beyond the field, as they commit to backing the Lions at a community level through the Lions Origin Clubs initiative. This program aims to recognize and celebrate clubs that have played a pivotal role in developing and nurturing players who have gone on to represent the Lions.

By aligning with the Lions Origin Clubs, Howden underscores its commitment to grassroots rugby and acknowledges the crucial role played by local clubs in shaping the future of the Lions.

Ben Calveley, CEO The British & Irish Lions, commented: "We are delighted to announce this long-term partnership with Howden and look forward to working with them over the next four years. It is testament to Howden that their support for The British & Irish Lions spans across multiple strands including the Men’s Tour to Australia, our ongoing work in relation to a potential Lions Women’s Tour as well as at community level."

"The landscape for rugby and wider sport has been challenging over the past couple of years when you consider in particular the impact of the global pandemic and we ourselves experienced this first hand on our last tour to South Africa in 2021. Thankfully, we are in a much stronger position now and excited at what is to come. As a business, the wide range of services and solutions Howden provides are designed to protect organisations for the future. As we embark upon a hugely exciting period and look to establish The British & Irish Lions as the most successful and admired sporting brand both on and off the pitch, having the support of a strong and stable organisation like Howden makes a lot of sense for us."

"Our brand has never been stronger, and we are thrilled to have the support of Howden as we continue to grow the game in the community, engage our fanbase in global markets and expand our digital offering alongside our ongoing exploratory work in relation to a historic inaugural Lions Women’s Tour."

Ieuan Evans, Chairman of The British & Irish Lions, added: "Howden are a fantastic organisation, and we believe they will be a great partner for us in the coming years. We are also very excited to confirm Howden as the official front of jersey/shirt sponsor for Australia 2025. Australia will be a huge tour which will once again see the sea of red support the Lions in person on tour following the 2021 Tour to South Africa which was impacted by COVID-19. Our ambition is to make 2025 the greatest Lions tour ever positioning it as a major global sporting event, and it is fantastic to have the support of Howden on this journey."

David Howden, Founder and CEO, Howden Group, said: "I’m thrilled that we are partnering with such an iconic British and Irish brand as we look towards 2025 for the men in Australia and as we play a part in investing in the women’s game and the hugely exciting prospect of an inaugural Lions Women’s Tour. I’m particularly proud that we will be supporting Lions Origin Clubs through our 200 branches and our 6,500 employees in our communities across the UK and Ireland. Our colleagues in Australia will of course also be eagerly anticipating the 2025 Tour."