The NRL has lured Diageo’s Bundaberg Rum as a major sponsor, inking a three-year deal with the brand to name its Saturday fixtures.

The deal marks the return of the brand to the League after a three-year break and includes the final series and a link to the State of Origin Series.

Bundy will also be the official spirit of the NRL.

Bundaberg marketing manager, Jodi McLeod, said the the new partnership would be used to support the brand’s ongoing mainstream marketing.

ADVERTISEMENT

“We were in a five-year partnership with the NRL up until 2012 and we made the decision at that time that we needed to move investment more into supporting our innovation of the brand at a trademark level and as we have been doing that now for quite a number of years the time is right for us to get the brand back into the fabric of Australian culture,” McLeod said.

“On the back of the Queensland Grand Final last year we just saw the energy that there is around the NRL – particularly around our heartland fans. It is just absolutely the right time for us to get back into sports as a key moment for mates to get together.”

The deal is the biggest sports sponsorship for Diageo and the only sponsorship Bundberg will be involved in.

McLeod said the brand decided to back the sport for three years to give it time to own the sector.

“This is it, so really we are focused on the NRL; it is the biggest sport in Australia and we are biggest spirit in Australia and it feels like a match made in heaven.”

As part of the deal Bundaberg will release a limited-edition rum to coincide with the State of Origin.

Simon Canning