The off-highway tyre maker extends its United Rugby Championship partnership to 2030 and becomes Official Global Tyre Partner across all five territories
Off-highway tyres rarely appear on television. The brand behind them does, and BKT has built one of the most visible sports sponsorship portfolios in the industry. The latest move takes its rugby presence global.
BKT and the United Rugby Championship (URC) have extended their partnership to 2030. Already Title Sponsor in the northern hemisphere, BKT now also becomes Official Global Tyre Partner of the tournament, extending its presence to all URC territories: Ireland, Italy, Scotland, Wales and South Africa. The relationship began in 2022 and will now span eight seasons.
The renewed deal was presented at Stadio Lanfranchi in Parma, with Lucia Salmaso, Managing Director of BKT Europe, and Martin Anayi, CEO of the United Rugby Championship.
“Becoming Official Global Tyre Partner of the URC strengthens an already solid collaboration and takes it onto a global stage,” said Salmaso, describing rugby’s values of passion, determination and team spirit as ones BKT identifies with.
Anayi welcomed BKT’s decision to extend its investment to all five territories, “including South Africa”, while remaining Title Partner in the northern hemisphere.
Fan activities, including exclusive experiences, pre-match events and grassroots rugby support, will resume from the start of the 2026/27 season.
The deal adds to a long list of BKT sports partnerships: rugby’s Six Nations, football leagues such as LALIGA, Serie BKT and Ligue 2 BKT, basketball’s EuroLeague and BKT EuroCup, curling in Canada, cricket in India and Australia, and Monster Jam. For a B2B tyre maker selling to farmers, contractors and mining companies, sport has become the main way to build a consumer-level brand.
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