Greene King and Gloucester Rugby have agreed a deal that will see the UK brewer and pub retailer become the new Official Ale Partner of the premiership club.
Greene King’s association will run for seven seasons from the beginning of the 2017/18 campaign and will include pouring rights for Greene King’s portfolio of leading and seasonal beers at the club’s Kingsholm stadium.
The new partnership will see Greene King beers served at all eleven bars around Kingsholm and at a dedicated real ale bar located near gate one. The Shed, a terrace stand famous for hosting some of the club’s most dedicated fans and for its atmosphere due to its proximity to the pitch, will become known as the ‘Greene King Shed’.
Each home matchday will incorporate a ‘Festival of Real Ale’ within the stadium where at least four Greene King beers will be available during any one game, including the likes of Greene King IPA, Old Speckled Hen and Abbot Ale as well as a rotating selection of the brewer’s seasonal and speciality ales.
Gloucester Rugby’s Commercial Director, Mike Turner confirmed the new partnership to the club website: “We’re very pleased to welcome Greene King to our family of Official Partners. Real ale is always a popular product on matchdays, and the introduction of Greene King’s iconic beer range at Kingsholm is yet another step taken in enhancing the matchday experience for our fans.”
Joe Parks, Greene King on trade sales director, said of the deal: “We’ve been an avid champion of rugby at all levels for many years and we’ll be bringing this same commitment to Gloucester Rugby.
“Our investment in bars around Kingsholm as well as increasing the beer range available will give fans more choice and an even better home ground experience, and we look forward to growing a great relationship with the club and its supporters over the seasons ahead.”
-ENDS-
For more information, please contact:
Elle Wye, Greene King, ellewye@greeneking.co.uk 07974132040
Duncan Wood, Gloucester Rugby, duncanwood@gloucesterrugby.co.uk 07833 795745
NOTES TO EDITORS
About Greene King
- Greene King IPA, the flagship beer of Greene King, is the official beer of England Rugby, the official beer of Twickenham and the first ever title partner of the RFU Championship. Brewed in Bury St. Edmunds, Greene King IPA is a multi-award-winning British beer with a history of supporting rugby union at all levels of the game, from investing in grassroots clubs to championing top class squads, and its partnerships with RFU teams include Gloucester, Saracens, Harlequins, Worcester Warriors and Newcastle Falcons.
- Greene King was founded in 1799 and is headquartered in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. It currently employs 43,000 people across its main trading businesses; Pub Company, Pub Partners and Brewing & Brands.
- It operates 3,000 pubs, restaurants and hotels across England, Wales and Scotland, of which c. 1,800 are retail pubs, restaurants and hotels, and 1,200 are tenanted, leased and franchised pubs. Its leading retail brands include Hungry Horse, Farmhouse Inns, Chef & Brewer, Flaming Grill and the Greene King Local Pubs estate.
- Greene King also brews quality ale brands from its Bury St. Edmunds and Dunbar breweries, and is the UK’s leading cask ale brewer and premium ale brewer with brands such as Greene King IPA, Old Speckled Hen, Abbot Ale and Belhaven Best.
About Gloucester Rugby
- Gloucester Rugby is a professional English rugby union club, founded in 1873, which plays its rugby at Kingsholm Stadium.
- The club competes in the Aviva Premiership, the Anglo-Welsh Cup and the European Rugby Challenge Cup competitions and has been a founder member of the Premiership since the game went professional.
- Gloucester Rugby has won various honours over the years including the Zurich Championship (2001-2), the Anglo-Welsh Cup (1971–72, 1977–78, 1981–82 (shared), 2002–03, 2010–11), the European Rugby Challenge Cup (2005–06, 2014–15) and the Premiership Rugby Sevens Series (2013, 2014).
- The first team squad includes many international players and recently contributed two players to the British & Irish Lions squad that toured New Zealand.