US-BASED secondary ticketing company StubHub has signed its first sponsorship deal in rugby union, agreeing a three-and-a-half year partnership with English Premiership team Leicester Tigers.
The deal will take effect immediately and run until the end of the 2015/16 season.
Under terms of the agreement, StubHub will manage the Tiger’s official ticket exchange which will allow season ticket holders to list unwanted tickets for home games to be sold to other fans.
StubHub has faced criticism since entering the UK market in March 2012 as it sets no price floors or caps for the sale of tickets, which means tickets can be sold for well under or over face value.
The deal will also give StubHub pitch-side branding, a presence on the club website, social media and CRM channels, access to VIP experiences and a number of promotional player appearances.
The deal marks StubHub’s fifth high-profile sports marketing partnership since its UK launch, following similar deals with the UK arm of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and three Premier League teams, Everton, Sunderland and Tottenham Hotspur.
By Luke Harman
Follow Luke on Twitter: @lukeharmanSBG