The British & Irish Lions and Fanatics have announced a long-term extension to their e-commerce and manufacturing partnership, which will run until 2030 and include the 2025 and 2029 British & Irish Lions Tours. 

The partnership extension which will see Fanatics retain exclusive global e-commerce rights with the Lions, was inked following strong growth in Lions merchandise sales through the official Lions Rugby online store, which is operated by Fanatics. Merchandise sales during the 2021 British & Irish Lions Tour were confirmed to be the highest in Lions Rugby history. 

“The long-term strategic ambition of The British & Irish Lions is to be the most successful and admired sporting brand both on and off the pitch and one of the keys to this is our connection with our global fan base of almost 14 million people and how we engage with them,” says Ben Calveley, chief executive officer, the Lions. “Fanatics has a strong reputation across global sport as an innovator and provider of fantastic retail experiences, making them the perfect partner for us as we look to build upon our product range and overall retail experience. Following the successful commercial performance of the 2021 Tour, alongside the strong relationship we have built, we are excited to continue working with Fanatics over the months and years to come as we continue to expand our global reach and enhance our offering to fans.”  

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“The British & Irish Lions is an iconic, globally renowned sporting brand and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to continue working with the team,” says Chris Smith, director, business development, strategy and planning, Fanatics. “Over the coming years, our goal is to build on the record-breaking success of the 2021 Tour and utilize our market-leading technology, innovative spirit and unparalleled licensed sport expertise to continue delivering first-class results and fan experiences.” 

As part of the agreement, Lions Rugby will continue to utilize Fanatics’ Cloud Commerce technology, which provides rapid navigation for fans across online and mobile sites.