Six Nations Rugby has named Scopely’s ‘Monopoly Go!’ as its first-ever mobile gaming partner.
The agreement aims to ‘enhance the fan experience’ by offering both in-stadium and digital activations during the men’s and women’s tournaments. This includes the chance to win tickets to a Six Nations ‘Super Saturday’ match, along with plans to bring the game onto the pitch at the Stade de France stadium in Paris.
Additionally, Monopoly Go! players will have the chance to compete in a Six Nations-themed in-game tournament, with an exclusive shield prize up for grabs.
The 2025 Guinness Men’s Six Nations kicks off on 31 January and will run until 15 March. Following this, the Guinness Women’s Six Nations will begin on 22 March.
Navin Singh, Chief Commercial and Growth Officer at Six Nations Rugby, said: “The experience of the Six Nations is unlike anything else in sport, and we are always exploring ways to enhance this experience for fans.
“As such, the new partnership with Monopoly Go! is hugely exciting, as it offers a global community of fans and players of the mobile game a unique and truly interactive way to enjoy the Six Nations beyond the action on the pitch.”
Developed by US video game company Scopely, Monopoly Go! is a mobile adaptation of the classic Monopoly board game.
Since its release in April 2023, the game has achieved significant success. According to Scopely, players have passed “GO” over 150 billion times, completed nearly 6 billion game boards and found themselves in jail more than 20 billion times.
Sophie Young, VP of Regional Marketing at Scopely, commented: ‘We’re thrilled to team up with the Men’s and Women’s Six Nations as their first ever mobile gaming partner, marking Monopoly Go!’s debut in European sport sponsorship and bringing its competitive spirit to the pitch.
“Rugby’s rich heritage of sportsmanship, resilience and competition mirrors the exhilarating and social experience of Monopoly Go! – a game where friends become rivals, landmarks are toppled, and daring bank heists unfold, fuelling the excitement and drive to win. This partnership is a celebration of community, friendly competition and the thrill of the game, on and off the pitch.”
Leveraging gaming for fan growth
This partnership represents two key milestones. It’s the first time Monopoly Go! has entered into a European sports sponsorship, as highlighted by Young, and also the first time the Six Nations has teamed up with a mobile game.
The deal was facilitated by Playfly Sports‘ London office, which worked closely with both sides to develop a solid business case supporting the investment.
In recent years, the Six Nations has increasingly sought to enhance fan engagement through innovative sponsorship deals. For instance, the competition partnered with TikTok in 2022 to appeal to younger audiences, a strategy designed to attract a more digitally engaged demographic.
After the conclusion of that deal following last year’s tournament, the Six Nations has turned to video games to fulfil a similar role.
Sports and video games have long been intertwined, with sports like football, basketball and American football all benefiting from the popularity of video games, which serve as both a fan engagement tool and a commercial revenue source.
Interestingly, while video games are typically seen as a way to engage younger demographics, the partnership with Monopoly Go! is revealing a broader audience.
According to Data.ai, the dominant age group for the Android version of the game is 45+, with the 35-44 and 25-34 groups also showing higher engagement than the 18-24 demographic.
This provides an interesting contrast to the expected trend, as Monopoly Go! attracts a more diverse age range compared to other games in its category, while still maintaining a younger audience in regards to other similar games.