Sponsorship and research agency Livewire has produced a final report on sponsorship and advertising effectiveness through the Rugby World Cup.
The report gathers together highlights of material which the brand published on Sport for Business throughout the tournament and provides a wealth of information on the effectiveness of sponsors including Aer Lingus, Heineken, Three and others.
The Marketing Institute of Ireland is hosting a breakfast discussion on the same subject tomorrow morning from which Sport for Business will be reporting live.
It will be interesting to see where it’s material agrees and disagrees with that in the Livewire report.
“The 2015 Rugby World Cup was a success. It might not have felt like it as Ireland were beaten by Argentina but the tournament has served to increase the appeal for the sport in Ireland,” concludes the report.
“With over 60% of the available TV audience tuning in to watch each of Ireland’s matches, not to mention over 900k views on 3 Player, the growth of rugby beyond its hard-core fan base is obvious.”
“In fact, nine of the top ten shows broadcast on RTE and TV3 this year – for the coveted male 15-34 audience – have been rugby related.”
“Add to this the growth of female interest and research that illustrates strong consumer affinity towards rugby sponsors and it is clear how powerful a vehicle rugby can be for sponsors and advertisers.”
“The 2016 Six Nations tournament is likely to continue to deliver average audiences in excess of 700k and, with a summer tour to South Africa from June 11th to 25th next year, and a bid to host the 2023 edition of the RWC on the horizon, the increasing appetite for Irish rugby is likely to show no signs of abating.”
“This is good news for media owners, good news for sponsors and good news for the sport.”
If you are a member of Sport for Business and would like to see a full copy of the report contact us today and we will arrange for it to be sent to you as a pdf document.
Sport for Business is a membership organisation linking leaders from sport and business across the island of Ireland. To be part of this group and gain full access to our site and services contact us today.
