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- Grupo Llanera and London Irish today announce a partnership based on mutuality and a shared empathy for community and family values that has sport and enjoyment at its heart.
- The sponsorship is Grupo Llanera's second major sports agreement in the UK having signed a four and half year deal with Charlton Athletic FC in December 2005.
London Irish have announced (21st July) that it has secured an exciting and innovative partnership agreement with Grupo Llanera, a Spanish multi-service property group.
Grupo Llanera is a major developer of lifestyle resorts along Spain's Mediterranean coast. The company has a strong commitment to the communities in which it operates that is echoed in the family values long associated with London Irish. The two organisations also share an outlook on life that has enjoyment and fun at its heart. These values have contributed greatly to the empathy between the two organisations that has led to the new agreement.
Grupo Llanera are major sponsors of sport in Spain and this country. In December last the company became main club sponsor of Charlton Athletic FC. In Spain the company is also major sponsor to its local club, Valencia FC. In addition, Llanera sponsors the Menorca basketball team, two Spanish athletes, a racing yacht and is very active in supporting local community sporting projects in the Valencia and Murcia regions. The company now has the unique distinction of being the first main sponsor of Premiership clubs in rugby union and football in this country.
<2>The partnership with London Irish is unique in that it embraces the club's whole rugby family, in particular the Amateur Club and the Exiles' extensive community programme in West London and the Thames Valley region. London Irish is one of the few professional clubs that have successfully maintained a thriving amateur section that involves players ranging from minis through to seniors, alongside its professional operations. The club's annual mini rugby tournament is among the largest and most successful in the United Kingdom and Ireland, and the amateur youth and senior teams continue to perform well in the various County and London Division leagues that they compete in.
Under the terms of the agreement not only will Grupo Llanera become London Irish's major sponsor for the next three years, it will also be the club's partner in an extensive community development programme that will see the club's existing activity quadruple in size.
The agreement, believed to be one of the largest in English club rugby, is a record for London Irish and comes into effect immediately. It is worth at least
2 million and could increase due to a progressive bonus structure based upon the club's performances in the Guinness Premiership, Anglo-Welsh Cup and Heineken Cup.
Announcing the new sponsorship, John Conlan, Chairman of London Irish said: 'We are delighted to have secured Grupo Llanera as our new main partner. This agreement is the largest sponsorship achieved in the club's history and is unique in the way that it reflects the strength and depth of the London Irish extended rugby family and its high brand recognition throughout the rugby world.
'Grupo Llanera shares the strong sense of family and community that has both at the very heart of our club over the past 108 years,' continued Mr Conlan. 'This will be a key element as this new partnership develops over the next few years.'
Fernando Gallaego, President of Grupo Llanera, said: 'Developing awareness of our brand and positioning it among key target audiences in the United Kingdom is essential to the future growth of our company.
'Our relationship with Charlton Athletic has already proved so successful that we wanted to move into other major sports in this country,' said Mr Gallaego. 'In London Irish we believe that we have found another perfect partner that can help us realise our objectives in this market. The London Irish brand's consumer demographics are uniquely compatible with Grupo Llanera's target market.'
<3r>Mr Gallaego added: 'Although rugby union is only its embryo stage in Spain I hope that our association with such a high profile club will give the game a boost in our country!'
Guinness, current lead sponsor of London Irish, in addition to agreeing to facilitate the early introduction of Grupo Llanera, will continue its long association with the club as its official beer partner.
Russell Jones, Marketing Director Guinness GB said 'We are thrilled that our long-standing partnership with London Irish is being extended for a further 3 years and look forward to working with the club and their partners in what promises to be a fantastic season ahead.'