“They generate more than half of the revenue”

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It’s the story of an Irish club meeting a Scottish club meeting an Italian club meeting a South African club meeting a Welsh club… From the outside, the way the United Rugby Championship works seems fine. complex.

We would tend to say that regular trips to the other side of the globe do not facilitate the finances of clubs in the Old Continent and yet, the arrival of teams from the southern hemisphere saved the competition.

Revenues that have tripled

If this choice caused a lot of talk in 2017, the URC is today reaping the fruits of this decision. ” It is a huge success on a commercial and financial level […] It’s a game-changer, it represents millions, they generate more than half of the revenue via commercial and audiovisual agreements” underlines Martin Anayi, the general director of the tournament, at the microphone of Planet Rugby.

Proof of this beneficial contribution, the meeting between the Sharks and the Bulls this Saturday, December 21 will take place in front of 50,000 people. A strong attendance which necessarily affects the finances of the body: “The last four years have been very solid. We probably tripled our income. »

Attractive adversaries?

As for the sporting side, the South African track record still remains very meager with only one title for the Stormers during the 2022 edition. But for the president, the observation remains clear: “Everyone agrees that they have raised the level of the competition”.

More competitive matches which inevitably attract more: “We noticed that we had attracted new fans, we are working hard to do so […] The crowd is the heart and soul of any league or sport. » If their integration seems perfect in URCit now remains to work so that it fully becomes so in the Champions Cup.

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