Auto Trader Supports Ulster Rugby Referees In New Deal

Auto Trader kicks off a new sponsorship deal this month with Ulster Rugby as the UK's largest digital automotive marketplace will sponsor Ulster's referees.

Auto Trader has previously sponsored Ulster Rugby fixtures, but this agreement will expand its presence to all levels of rugby within the Province. The sponsorship covers referees for matches at school level all the way up to adult club level. Over 230 schools, 55 rugby clubs and 33,500 players currently participate in rugby in Ulster, with 160 referees officiating over 4,400 matches throughout each season.

Kirstie Luke from Auto Trader comments on the sponsorship: "We're really pleased to support the Ulster referees this season and the partnership is one of the major marketing activations for Auto Trader in the region. We know there is synergy in Ulster Rugby's audience compared with our audience, so for us it's a great way to keep our brand front of mind, whilst supporting local rugby."

Phillip Polack, Ulster Rugby Business Development Manager, added: "The referee is a constant in each game of rugby and due to the growing volume of rugby played in schools and clubs throughout Ulster, an association with the referees offers a capable brand considerable exposure to the loyal rugby audience. Ulster Rugby greatly values and depends upon the services of our referees and it is fitting that Auto Trader, as a recognisable market leading brand, has committed to partnering with the referees for the coming season."

There is an accompanying picture taken at Kingspan Stadium, Ulster.

For all media enquiries, please contact: Richard Finlay on Richard.Finlay@ulsterrugby.com or call
07826 924297

Notes to Editors:

About Auto Trader:

Auto Trader Group plc is a 100% digital business having successfully completed the transition from a print title in 2013. Auto Trader sits at the heart of the UK's vehicle buying process and operates the UK's largest digital automotive marketplace.

Auto Trader's primary activity is to help vehicle retailers compete effectively on the Marketplace in order to sell more vehicles, faster. The Marketplace brings together the largest and most engaged consumer audience. Autotrader.co.uk attracts around 44.5 million monthly cross-platform visits on its sites, with around 68% of visits coming through mobile devices, with the largest pool of vehicle sellers (listing more than 400,000 cars each day). In fact over 80% of all time spent on classified sites is spent on Auto Trader. The Group does not buy or sell any vehicles itself.

Auto Trader has around 92% prompted brand awareness in the UK, with 80% of UK retailer forecourts advertising via the website and around 65% of UK used car transactions involving cars listed on autotrader.co.uk.

Auto Trader's market-leading position enables it to generate and collect large amounts of data on the UK's automotive marketplace and leverage it to create a suite of services that allow retailers to:

• BUY – buy the right vehicles, at the right price
• MARKET - market their brands and businesses effectively in the digital world
• SELL- sell more vehicles through advertising on the UK's largest digital automotive marketplace
• MANAGE – optimise their stock turn and vehicle margin.

For more information please visit http://about-us.autotrader.co.uk/

About Ulster Rugby:

Ulster Rugby is a professional rugby team, which plays in the Guinness PRO12 and European Rugby Champions Cup. The organization is based at Kingspan Stadium, Belfast and is one of four branches affiliated to the Irish Rugby Football Union. The branch is responsible for the development and growth of rugby at all levels within Ulster.