Why can’t Premiership Women’s Rugby get a title sponsor?

Premiership Women’s Rugby executive chair Genevieve Shore says she is “very disappointed” the league remains unable to secure a title sponsor.

England won a home World Cup in front of 81,885 spectators at Twickenham in September and the league has enjoyed a boost in attendances and TV viewers since then.

A title sponsor for the English top flight would support the league’s growth, bringing more money, stability and credibility.

As Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) returns on Friday following a winter break, Shore finds 90% of her time is spent on seeking such a backer, saying: “I will be more than disappointed if we go into the fourth season without a title partner.”

Why does a title sponsor remain elusive for PWR? And what might help?

The key challenge for the league is convincing brands that it is worth investing in.

Despite growth in the popularity of women’s rugby since the World Cup, PWR may be missing out on additional investment because of “tough economic conditions”, according to Lisa Parfitt, the co-founder of a sports marketing agency.

In women’s football, Barclays has been the title sponsor of the Women’s Super League since 2019 and in 2024 agreed a new three-year deal worth £45m.

In cricket, Vitality and Metro Bank are title sponsors of the women’s T20 Blast and One-Day Cup, in shared deals with the men’s tournaments.

Parfitt says the current women’s sport sponsorship landscape is “healthy but selective”.

She adds that, while women’s rugby offers investors a “long-term, culturally relevant opportunity”, businesses are focused on short-term certainty that PWR may not yet be able to offer. bbc