Rugby: Heineken becomes title sponsor of the European Rugby Champions Cup from 2018-19

The Dutch beer brand Heineken has become the title sponsor of the European Rugby Champions Cup, for four year period "from the 2018-19 season", announced European Professional Club Rugby on 04/06/2018. "The four-year deal will see the tournament renamed as the Heineken Champions Cup with the world's leading international premium beer brand as its main official partner," added EPCR.

The competition will be named the "H Champions Cup" in France due to the loi Évin (Evin law passed in 1991, which limits alcohol and tobacco association with sports, among other areas) and "could be modified later" explained the EPCR to News Tank Football on 04/06/2018. Heineken was previously the title sponsor of the competition from 1996 to 2014, and paid an estimated €8m per season during the last year of the contract in 2013-14. The beer brand has remained a sponsor of EPCR during the 2014-2018 period, throughout the format change of the competition (see below), but with a lower commitment of around €3m per season.

"We have substantially developed the Champions Cup over the past four seasons and it…