Dear Rugby and Sports Clubs,
If there’s one key takeaway from the recently concluded Rugby Afrique tournament, it’s this: there’s serious untapped value in how rugby clubs present themselves to sponsors.
Watching the games, many of us were irritated by the constant shout-outs to OMO and Platinum Credit; brands mentioned so often during the broadcast that it became a running joke among fans. But here’s the reality: those brands won. They were visible, present, and most importantly, smart. And unlike previous events like the Marseille games, this time there was live coverage. That visibility? It came because they invested in a well-packaged opportunity.
Too many clubs are still waiting for sponsors to come knocking. Truthfully, that’s not how it works. Sponsors rarely seek you out, you must seek them out, and show up ready.
Position Your Club as a Content and Media Platform
Start with simple, structured touchpoints that brands can plug into: Fan’s Man of the Match, Try of the Week, Rookie Spotlight, or even a Comeback Player Award. These create consistent branding moments that fans and sponsors look forward to.
Build out lifestyle content: player takeovers, pre-match rituals, training snippets, and recovery sessions. These behind-the-scenes glimpses offer the kind of storytelling that turns a rugby team into a brand with personality.
Add weekly digital series like Trivia Tuesdays, Fan Challenges, Player Playlists, or “Who Wore It Best?” for fans replica jerseys. These formats are low-cost, fun, and extremely brand-friendly. Then, show heart, highlight community heroes, run school clinics, and recognize fans in the stands. Brands love to align with impact and community.
And visually, make everything sponsor-ready. Create branded templates, countdowns to kickoff, polished score graphics, and well-designed match posters. If it looks professional, it feels valuable.
Collaborate with the Talent Around You
Here’s the good news: you don’t need big budgets—just collaboration. Many former players now work at leading PR and creative agencies like Metropolitan Republic, Zeus, and COG, the very agencies that handle major sponsorships. Reach out. Involve them. Many would love to support a club that shaped their journey.
You also have a pool of young creatives, media students, and freelancers eager to build portfolios. Bring them in. Rugby clubs can be launchpads for more than athletes, they can shape the next generation of sports storytellers.
And speaking of growth, it’s refreshing to see the rise of local kit manufacturers like Komodo, offering clubs affordable, high-quality jerseys with design flexibility. That’s a win for clubs looking to strengthen their brand identity both on and off the field.
Rugby has moved beyond just the pitch. Today, it lives on screens, in stories, and across digital platforms.
To every club: wake up. Sponsors won’t come to you. You must go to them; packaged, polished, and positioned like a modern media brand.
And when you do, they’ll stop seeing you as just a team, they’ll see you as a valuable partner.
Sincerely,
A man whose balls are oval
