SAMSUNG HAS SIGNED as the new official mobile and tablet partner of the Qantas Wallabies in a two-year deal.
The partnership with the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) includes all consumer electronic devices across the Qantas Wallabies and Super Rugby competition until the end of 2015.
Since June last year Samsung has been the consumer electronics partner of Australian Rugby, however Samsung decided to extend their partnership to include phone and tablets in 2013.
Samsung had previously signed a three-and-a-half year deal with the ARU when replacing Panasonic – a fellow IOC TOP sponsor – in the official consumer electronics category in 2012.
The renewal was preceded last week by the appointment of Bill Pulver as the ARU’s new CEO following the resignation of John O’Neill, last October.
Pulver, who starts his new role, February 1, has lived and worked in Europe, North America, Asia and Australia, across a diverse range of industries including media, research, internet, sports marketing and linguistics.
Between 1999 and 2001, Pulver worked in London as president of ACNielsen eRatings.com, an internet audience measurement operation. He subsequently spent six years based in New York as president of the NASDAQ-listed internet media and market research company NetRatings Inc.
From 2008 to 2010, Pulver was chairman of Repucom International, the global sports marketing research firm.
With Samsung’s renewal, Pulver inherits the following sponsorship structure at the ARU:
Naming Rights Partner
Qantas – Naming rights partner since 2004.
Major Partners:
KooGa – Official Sports Apparel and Leisure Wear Partner
Castrol – Official Performance Partner of the Qantas Wallabies and Naming Rights Partner of the Castrol Edge Rugby Championship
Official Partners:
Samsung – Official Wallabies Partner (including Official Mobile and Tablet Partner)
Lexus – Official Motor Vehicles Partner
Vero – Official Commercial Insurance Partner
Accenture – Official Technology Partner
Hahn Superdry – Official Beer Partner
Suisse – Official Vitamin and Sports Supplement
St Hallett Barossa – Official Wine Partner
TomWaterhouse.com – Official Wallabies Partner
By Matthew Glendinning
Follow Matthew on Twitter: @mattglen