Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby (GBWR) has today announced a new three-year partnership with Socios.com, the leading fan engagement and rewards platform, to support the sport’s continued growth. This comes as part of Socios.com’s community and social impact initiative, Socios.com Supports.
The move feeds into GBWR’s strategy to continue raising the profile of wheelchair rugby by forging new partnerships and pursuing commercial opportunities, with the ultimate goal of increasing nationwide participation and driving performance to secure podium finishes at major tournaments.
It comes ahead of the 2023 Wheelchair Rugby European Championship, where Paralympic gold medallists Great Britain will host the continent’s top teams as they vie for European glory and the chance to defend their Paralympic title by qualifying for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
Socios.com will also be partnering with the European Championship, taking place at Cardiff’s iconic Principality Stadium, 3 to 7 May.
Both partnerships form part of Socios.com’s community and social impact initiative, Socios.com Supports. The programme has committed to donating £2 million to partner organisations over the next two seasons to help tackle the issues that matter to fans and their communities across inclusion, health and employability.
Jason Brisbane, CEO at GBWR, commented:
“Partnering with organisations that want to play a meaningful role in helping us achieve our objectives and vision is hugely important for us. This is what makes our partnership with Socios.com so exciting. Together we will be able to create real impact across the wheelchair rugby community, increasing national awareness and engagement with wheelchair rugby, with the ultimate goal of getting more people actively involved in our sport.”
Dame Sarah Storey, multiple Paralympic Gold Medallist and Socios.com Supports Ambassador, said:
“Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby’s partnership with Socios.com Supports is an exciting development for the sport and its fans. I look forward to seeing how this collaboration will help to grow the sport and promote greater inclusion for athletes with disabilities.”
Emma Diskin, Chief Operating Officer at Chiliz and Socios.com, added:
“Ahead of the European Championship, we’re excited to be backing Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby as they go for gold. We look forward to cheering on the GB team, from Cardiff to the Paris Paralympics and beyond, as it continues blazing the trail for inclusion in sport, something we strongly support.”
Socios.com already has a presence across a number of different sports, including rugby union. Last July, it announced partnerships with Leicester Tigers, Harlequins, and Saracens to bring its fan engagement and rewards platform to rugby union for the first time. These form part of its global network of partnerships with over 150 organisations across nine other sports, including football, Formula One, and tennis.
