Howden announces new four-year partnership with The British & Irish Lions

• Howden to be a Principal Partner of The British & Irish Lions
• Partnership sees Howden become the official front of jersey sponsor for the 2025 Lions Tour to Australia
• Partnership supports at a community level via the Lions Origin Clubs
• Howden to support the development of the Lions Women’s programme as The British & Irish Lions explores the possibility of an inaugural Lions Women’s Tour

London, 13th July 2023 - Howden, the global insurance group, announces today the details of a new partnership through which it will become a Principal Partner of The British & Irish Lions for the next four years and the official front of jersey sponsor for the upcoming 2025 Lions Tour to Australia.

This partnership reflects Howden’s continued commitment to sport, to the game of rugby in particular, and from grassroots to elite, through the deep expertise and global scale of its Sport and Entertainment division, which places insurance for amateur and professional sport and entertainment organisations.

The sponsorship provides the opportunity to support The British & Irish Lions at a community level via the Lions Origin Clubs, which champions clubs that have helped shape the future of the Lions by producing and guiding players on their rugby journey. Howden has a strong presence in communities across the UK and Ireland via its 6,500 employees across 200 branches and high streets, as well as a growing presence in Australia.

Alongside the 2025 Tour and community partnership, Howden will expand its investment into the Lions Women’s programme as The British & Irish Lions explore the possibility of a historic inaugural Lions Women’s Tour.  This investment in the sport’s fastest growing area is important to Howden as it supports the growth of women’s rugby across new audiences. 

This partnership follows the announcement of Howden’s five year sponsorship of Ascot Racecourse in 2021, where it has collaborated with a fellow international British brand to invest in a sport in which it has a deep-rooted association, through its specialist equine insurance business.

David Howden, Founder and CEO, Howden, said: “I’m thrilled that we are partnering with such an iconic British and Irish brand as we look towards 2025 for the men in Australia and as we play a part in investing in the women’s game and the hugely exciting prospect of an inaugural Women’s Lions Tour.  I’m particularly proud that we will be supporting Lions Origin clubs through our 200 branches and our 6,500 employees in our communities across the UK and Ireland. Our colleagues in Australia will of course also be eagerly anticipating the 2025 tour.

“We have been heavily involved in community and professional sport for more than a decade through our Sport and Entertainment practice and this partnership aligns us with a unique franchise in elite sport, one which harnesses the collective power of the home nations and the passion and imagination of rugby fans and non-rugby fans alike around the world. It is our core employee ownership and the passion and imagination of our people which makes us a different kind of animal in the insurance world, so the Lions feels like a perfect match.”

Ben Calveley, CEO The British & Irish Lions, commented: “We are delighted to announce this long-term partnership with Howden and look forward to working with them over the next four years. It is testament to Howden that their support for The British & Irish Lions spans across multiple strands including front of jersey for the Men’s Tour to Australia, our ongoing work in relation to a potential Lions Women’s Tour as well as at community level.”

“The landscape for rugby and wider sport has been challenging over the past couple of years when you consider in particular the impact of the global pandemic and we ourselves experienced this first hand on our last tour to South Africa in 2021. Thankfully, we are in a much stronger position now and excited at what is to come. As a business, the wide range of services and solutions Howden provides are designed to protect organisations for the future. As we embark upon a hugely exciting period and look to establish The British & Irish Lions as the most successful and admired sporting brand both on and off the pitch, having the support of a strong and stable organisation like Howden makes a lot of sense for us.”

“Our brand has never been stronger, and we are thrilled to have the support of Howden as we continue to grow the game in the community, engage our fanbase in global markets and expand our digital offering alongside our ongoing exploratory work in relation to a historic inaugural Lions Women’s Tour.”