Champions_Cup_Ticket_Master_E-shot_600x300px_v2The reality of a new European Rugby landscape came into sharper focus again yesterday with the announcement that Twickenham and the Stoop in South West London would host the first finals of the new-look European Rugby Champions Cup and European Rugby Challenge Cup tournaments.

The finals will take place on the evening of Friday 1st and Saturday 2nd May.  This indicates one major break with the past few years when the European club showpiece has taken place on the same Champions’ weekend as its equivalent in soccer.  The UEFA Champions’ League Final for the coming season will not take place until five weeks later with that final on Saturday June 6th in Berlin’s Olympic Stadium.

The double header between the sports worked well as the basis for a Champions’ Weekend promoted heavily by Heineken when they were naming partner of the Heineken Cup and a top tier sponsor of the soccer as well.

Sponsorship

There is no word yet on any confirmed sponsorship deals for the European Rugby Cup but more detail may emerge on Thursday when the full fixture list of matched is published.

This is late for a deal of such expected size.  It is understood that Heineken will be among the partners but even that deal has yet to be confirmed and the timetable for the extensive planning and creative process that would always accompany a successful sponsorship will already be very much foreshortened on what a sponsor would expect.

At least with the publication of the times and the fixtures for the opening two weekends on Thursday the four Irish provinces can begin their full planning towards the logistics around what will be among their biggest games of the year.

Munster Rugby has already announced it is almost completely sold out for corporate space at it’s three home fixtures in the group stage, while Leinster Rugby has launched the European kit it will wear in its matches.

Tender Process

The Rugby Football Union (RFU) was awarded the inaugural finals by the EPCR Board following a competitive tender process which was open to the six countries which provide the clubs for the Aviva Premiership, the Top 14 and the Guinness PRO12 competitions.

We understand that only England and France put forward full bids to host the first Finals of the new era.  It was stated that “the RFU’s successful bid will guarantee the best possible financial return to the clubs”, which does make sense given that the capacity of Twickenham is 82,000 and Rugby will be at a high level of excitement in England with the Rugby World Cup just around the corner.
An early booking scheme for those signed up to news from the new EPRC website opened yesterday with individual Champions’ Cup Final tickets priced from £38 to £80 on sale from next Monday, August 18th.
Philip Browne, CEO of the IRFU is Ireland’s representative on the new Board for European Rugby though the actual management of the first season is being handled on a contract basis by most of those involved in European Rugby Cup Limited from their retained in the short term Dublin base.