It’s remarkable that Arsenal Football Club has officially repudiated its eight-year partnership with Visit Rwanda. This amendment will become effective at the end of this season. This decision follows years of campaigns and calls to end the sponsorship. The region’s political tensions only added fuel to the fire for these calls.
The partnership, which marked Arsenal’s first-ever sleeve sponsorship, aimed to raise global awareness of Rwanda’s tourism and conservation initiatives. Earlier this month, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) government called upon Arsenal to cut their relationship with Visit Rwanda. This move led to unprecedented pushback. The advocates’ call came as brutal violence in the region surged. This increase came on the heels of the Rwandan-supported rebels taking the city of Goma in February.
In April, Arsenal turned its own campaign against the sponsorship, further demonstrating the increasing unrest found within its fan base. In July, a member survey provided valuable information from more than 2,500 active members. An amazing 86 percent of them approved termination of the deal. Just 2 percent thought the £10 million annual sponsorship should be extended.
After the announcement, many sports fans criticized the decision, highlighting Rwanda’s poor human rights record, especially in regard to LGBT+ rights. A band of committed Arsenal fans campaigning against the sponsorship recently highlighted that moral principles should inform the club’s commercial relationships.
Richard Garlick, Arsenal’s Director of Football Operations, commented on the partnership’s impact:
“Our first-ever sleeve partnership with Visit Rwanda has been a significant journey. The commitment and support of Visit Rwanda throughout our partnership has played an important role in driving forward our ambitions – helping us invest in our long-term vision to win major trophies, in a financially sustainable way.”
During its partnership with Visit Rwanda, Arsenal was able to make strong inroads with fans throughout Africa and increase its global brand awareness. This smart partnership not only helped the soccer club reach a more diverse audience, but it boosted Rwanda’s tourism industry.
While these were significant achievements, the political climate around the sponsorship forced its dissolution. Of course, the DRC government’s insistence on terminating the trade agreement because of security concerns played a key role in Arsenal’s decision-making calculus.
In spite of the sponsorship agreement Arsenal is going ahead without. The club’s immediate next steps are to find a replacement who aligns with its ethical standards and serves its long-term vision. With this partnership now ended, this signals a changing tide in how sports organizations approach sponsorships. Today, though, political and ethical considerations make up a large part of their decision-making calculus.
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