Records Broken At 2015 Rugby World Cup

24 May 2016 | tshego

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The 2015 Rugby World Cup, hosted by England, has been announced as the most financially successful to date, according to an economic report by EY.

According to the report, the 2015 edition of the tournament generated £2.3bn in economic output, with 2.47 million tickets sold and 406,000 international visits from 151 countries, boosting tourism to across the UK. In addition, 98% of available tickets were sold, with huge attendances in the traditional rugby heartlands of the Midlands and south of England, six matches were held in the north of England, where 291,000 tickets were sold.

England hosted the event, including some matches in Wales, during September and October last year adding £1.1bn to the UK GDP.

The ticket sales made it the fifth largest single-sport event ever held and was also the most commercially successful rugby event held, thanks to a 40% increase in broadcast and commercial deals. These provided a surplus of £150m, breaking the record of £122m in 2007, the report outlined.

Ian Ritchie, CEO of the Rugby Football Union (RFU), said: “We wanted Rugby World Cup 2015 to be a celebration of rugby, which inspired the country, and the world, to play and support the game. The team at England Rugby 2015 and the RFU are proud of the tournament we organised and hosted, which will deliver valuable financial benefits not just for the game of rugby, but for the wider national economy.”

EY executive director Mike Grice said: “EY is proud to be the official business advisor of Rugby World Cup 2015, and our report demonstrates the truly national impact. There were a large number of international visitors to host cities outside London, including Birmingham, Brighton and Manchester. Many visitors extended their stays over several days or even weeks, to watch several matches in a variety of different venues. Host cities also gained exposure to international markets, raised their international profiles and encouraged future tourism.”