LAFAYETTE, CO – USA Rugby announced today the reviewed restructure of its commercial strategy with Rugby International Marketing (RIM) becoming reintegrated into the national office and renamed USA Rugby Partners, LLC. After careful evaluation of how USA Rugby can best be supported by commercial efforts, bringing the department and Commercial Director directly under the NGB leadership tree allows for partnership support to be better suited with needs of the organization. Commercial Director, Mark Griffin, will report directly to the USA Rugby CEO.
- As part of overall restructure, commercial operations of Rugby International Marketing (RIM) have been reintegrated with the national office, now recognized as USA Rugby Partners, LLC.
- Mark Griffin officially appointed as Commercial Director, reporting directly to USA Rugby CEO, realigning partnership activities with the union.
- Direction of USA Rugby Partners to focus on developing partnerships with influential specialists and brands across priority categories to optimize opportunities across sponsorships, broadcast and events.
“It has been a long process, but a necessary one as we took careful review of how commercial partnerships can truly best support the game,” noted Young, “The first step was to firmly centralize operations with the organization, which we are very confident in as Mark Griffin joins leadership at the national office. Consistent communication and a first-hand understanding for organizational needs will prove critical in leveraging the benefit of our corporate relationships.”
Centralization of operations involved an intensive workout process, alongside the prioritization of existing partner relationships and the creation of new processes to provide a foundation for the commercial department to rebuild. Going forward, focus aims toward rebuilding the commercial team to enrich the current partner experience and effectively welcoming in new prospects to our USA Rugby family. In developing current and future relationships, USA Rugby Partners has put a priority on ensuring a broader benefit to the union and more importantly, its members.
“I am very excited this year to have transitioned full-time into leading USA Rugby’s refreshed commercial efforts. Now as a fully integrated priority of our go-forward strategy, we truly have the opportunity to ignite opportunities that can not only grow the game in the immediate term but can be game-changers, over the long term. To do this, our focus will be on designing and delivering unique experiences with our partners to benefit our major stakeholder groups.”
With the new strategy, commercial income will become more global as the organization looks to drive revenue by building the brand equity of American rugby. Therefore, prioritizing partnership deliverables toward foundation building and enriching experiences across broadcast, events and sponsorship. In return creating more impact within the sporting community.
Young concluded, “We’re incredibly confident in our bearing here, and very much want to express our appreciation to those who have contributed to the reintegration. The support and patience of the rugby community has been outstanding, of which we are grateful. In particular Mark Lambourne for driving the restructuring process and Pam Kosanke for filling the RIM leadership void as interim CEO during the same period.”
For anyone with passion and proven experience in sports-related marketing, sponsorship or business development, you may apply to USA Rugby’s commercial roles here.
