Border Telegraph | Sport | Caging in the Lions in sponsorship drive

Friday, 5th December, 2008

Published: Tuesday, 25th October, 2005 10:38

Caging in the Lions in sponsorship drive

By Border Telegraph Sport

BORDER Reivers are fronting up four of the top names in world rugby to bring more people through the turnstiles at home games.

Four hospitality suites at the Gala Water end of the ground have been named after Gary Armstrong, Alan Tait, Gregor Townsend and Doddie Weir as one of new Business Manager John Thorburn’s drive to lift the profile of the pro team.

“We want to enhance the facilities for our sponsors and also the ground. We look forward to having them full for every game.

“A bit of consultation went on before we named the ‘boxes’. We spent a lot of time and a lot of hours and we decided to go with the professional era for these are professional boxes.

“The four players we have chosen came through the Borders, British Lions, and this will enhance the ‘boxes’ for the pro team.”

One suite can accommodate 20 people, and 24 “at a push” and the other around a dozen.

There are no plans for additional suites at the other end of the ground at present. “But we will look at that option is this outgrows itself,” said Mr Thorburn.

“This idea is a Borders one and has not been driven from Murrayfield. “It is important to use the names of the players who have come through the professional era in the past 10 years.

“We are trying to enhance the facilities to bring Borders businesses and anyone in Scotland to support the Reivers.

“This will enhance a professional environment and that is a big step forward for us.

“We are trying to get people to come down and have a look at the facilities. Our intention is make people aware of it.

“The most important thing is to get people in and support the team.”

Sponsorship package costs are flexible, for one match or more or for the whole season.

Tait welcomed the idea. “Anything to make the whole thing better is worth it. This is a nice gesture, and the ‘boxes’ could be used for birthdays etc.

“We need to pull together (club and pro) to improve things for the game in the Borders, and go back up the ladder.”

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