Amazon In Talks With New Zealand Rugby To Become The Main Shirt Sponsor
According to various reports, Amazon is in talks with New Zealand Rugby (NZR) to become the new main shirt sponsor of the national team, the All Blacks. The New Zealand Herald reported that NZR and the US technology company are discussing what would ultimately be the largest jersey sponsorship in rugby union history, with the expected numbers coming in at NZ$20m (€11.7m/$13.9m) per season.
However, interestingly enough, Amazon is not seeking to place its main brand on the front of the All Blacks shirt. Instead, it plans to use the inventory to promote Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ A Climate Pledge initiative.
Amazon’s sustainability program was launched in 2019 after Amazon faced major criticism regarding its massive carbon footprint. A Climate Pledge seeks to attract companies to become carbon neutral by 2040. Amazon has also created a similar $2bn (€1.69bn) fund designed to advance technologies related to reducing greenhouse gases.
The US insurance group, AIG, has been the All Black’s main jersey sponsor since 2012, but their current deal is set to expire at the end of the year.
British petrochemical firm Ineos has also been linked to the All Blacks. According to a report, Ineos would become a secondary sponsor of the team in a deal worth an estimated US$5.7 million a year. However, before moving forward, Ineos needs the approval of NZR’s technical partner, Adidas.
Amazon and NZR have said to have been in talks for months. The two entities previously worked together to produce the All or Nothing documentary series with the All Blacks in 2017.
