Chanel Teams Up With the Boat Race for Its First Sports Sponsorship

Britain’s historic Boat Race is getting a boost from Chanel.  

The luxury fashion house has stuck a deal to replace cryptocurrency firm Gemini as the sponsor of England’s historic rowing competition, Reuters reported. Starting on April 13, 2025, the event, which takes place every year on the River Thames, will be renamed the Chanel J12 Boat Race inspired by the French Maison’s ceramic watch. The company will also serve as the official timekeeper for the match between Oxford and Cambridge Universities. 

The sponsorship is slated to run to at least 2029, commemorating the Boat Race’s 200th anniversary. It also marks Chanel’s inaugural push into sports; the brand did lean into its activewear roots, though, for its latest high-jewelry collection, which was unveiled in Monaco. Its founder, Gabrielle Chanel, an avid tennis player and equestrian, famously began selling sportswear made of humble materials including jerseys and tweed in 1913.  

“We knew when we first met, on June 10—the same date as the first ever Boat Race in 1829—that they understood the appeal of our event and we’re very confident that their involvement will help us take the event to new places and new people, as well as enhancing it for our millions of existing followers,” said Siobhan Cassidy, chairwoman of the Boat Race Company, in a statement.  

Chanel is just the latest luxury brand to throw its hat into the sports-world ring. Most notably, LVMH sponsored the 2024 Paris Olympics, designing everything from trophies and medals to trunks and uniforms for the Games. Altogether, the Bernard Arnault–owned group poured a whopping $163 million into the international event. And earlier this month, the conglomerate inked a 10-year sponsorship deal with Formula 1, which will kick off next year with the Melbourne Grand Prix.

As for other high-end companies under the LVHM umbrella, TAG Heuer was rumored to be replacing Rolex as F1’s official timekeeper, and you can expect the motorsport’s drivers to be showered in bottles of Moët & Chandon on the winner’s podium. Louis Vuitton, meanwhile, has had a longstanding history with the America’s Cup. This year, the prestigious sailing race added Louis Vuitton as the title partner and sponsor of the Challenger series, which ran from August to October in Barcelona.