The British & Irish Lions has announced details of a new player agreement which will see players selected for the 2025 Tour to Australia benefit from a profit share model for the first time.
The agreement will see the creation of a new partnership model whereby a portion of distributable post-Tour profits will be made available for sharing between players.
In addition to the new financial model, the agreement will also result in increased collaboration between The British & Irish Lions and the players particularly around scheduling and preparation.
Working together, they will create the optimum schedule to give the players the best chance to prepare for a successful Tour amid all of their other Rugby commitments.
For 2025, this will include a training camp and the pre-Tour Lions 1888 Cup match in June, being played in Dublin and giving a first chance to watch the team in competitive action on Irish soil.
Following the Tour, players will also engage in a debrief session to review all aspects of it in detail, and start the preparation for those who will succeed them on future tours.
Alongside on-the-pitch-preparation, the new agreement will see The British & Irish Lions support players off the pitch through a range of activity and initiatives. Each Lions player will be provided with personally tailored high-quality digital content daily during the Tour and will also be provided with content post-Tour for use on their personal social media channels.
“We know that players love playing for the Lions, and it is the pinnacle of their professional careers, and this landmark agreement highlights how they are at the centre of our thinking,” said Ben Calveley, British & Irish Lions CEO.
“I would like to thank Simon Keogh of Rugby Players Ireland who acted on behalf of all the Unions from a player representative perspective and was integral in bringing all of this together. I would also like to thank our Unions who each played a key role in the development of this agreement which crucially reflects the value we place on our players.”
“This announcement reflects the Lions integral role within an aligned professional rugby ecosystem and follows the announcement of our strategic partnership with Premiership Rugby and United Rugby Championship, and the joint venture with Rugby Australia for next year’s Tour.”
“Players are central to the ongoing success of The British & Irish Lions Tours and we are delighted that their views – including those of Lions heroes of the past – have been heard throughout this process,” added Simon Keogh, CEO of Rugby Players Ireland.
“I’d like to thank The British & Irish Lions for their honesty, transparency, and genuine consideration of the players’ voice. As a result, I believe that we have reached an agreement that is both fair and reflective of the strong collaboration between all stakeholders in rugby.”
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