Rugby: "Our sponsorship revenue has almost tripled since 2018-19" (François Vergnol, EPCR)

"Sponsorship revenue has almost tripled since 2018-19 and we have a lot of brands in our pipeline. We will be announcing a new one in May (at the rank of "premium partner", 2^nd level), for the 2025-2030 period," said François Vergnol, chief revenue officer at European Professional Club Rugby, to News Tank on 22/04/2025.

Apicil Group (mutual insurance companies) became the first French group to enter into a partnership with the EPCR on 26/03/2025, running until 2027-28. It is the third new partner to join the international body in 2024-25, following the arrival of Omoda - Jaecoo (CHN), its first automotive sponsor, and the signing of Macron (ITA) as technical supplier for the officials. The EPCR, which has evolved its prospecting methods since 2019, will thus record the arrival of a fourth sponsor in one season, a performance never recorded by the organisation in six years.

"Six months ago, and for the first time since I arrived, we didn't renew a partnership (IHG Hostels & Resorts). I was frustrated, because up until then I'd been quite proud to say that 100% of our partners had…