RBS extends sponsorship of Six Nations despite record losses

The Royal Bank of Scotland has confirmed it has agreed a four-year extension to its sponsorship of the Six Nations Championship despite stating yesterday (January 19) that it expects to report a record loss of up to £28 billion.

The new four-deal will take the bank’s sponsorship of the tournament through to the end of the 2013 season. Further details of the deal will be announced ahead of the start of this year’s Six Nations Championship, according to an RBS spokeswoman, which starts on February 7.

RBS, which has sponsored the tournament since 2009, sponsors a number of other sports events and sporting personalities. It is the official bank of golf’s open championship and PGA Championship and also sponsors tennis star Andy Murray. It also recently signed up Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar as a global ambassador.

RBS has said it expects to register a loss of between £7 and £8 billion for 2008. After write-downs the final deficit could rise to £28 billion. The Government said yesterday that it was to increase its stake in the bank to nearly 70 per cent.