The Lions roar, but will it last?
The British & Irish Lions won on and off the pitch in 2025 Test Series, but can tradition hold its ground against the rise of modernisation in rugby union?
The British & Irish Lions claimed a historic Test-series victory on their 2025 tour to Australia, their first since 2013 and only their second against Australia in the professional era. The Lions came back from a 23‑5 deficit to seal the series with a Test to spare, completing the largest comeback in Lions history.
The 2025 tour broke commercial and attendance records. Over 500,000 tickets were sold across nine matches, including provincial games and three Tests — making it the biggest Lions tour ever. The second Test at the MCG drew a crowd of around 90,300.
In the UK and Ireland, all ten matches, including the three Tests, were broadcast exclusively on Sky Sports, continuing a partnership that began in 1997. TalkSPORT provided exclusive live audio commentary of the entire series, delivering more than 200 hours of programming including podcasts and call-ins.
Major partners for the 2025 tour included:
• Howden – Principal Partner and Official Front‑of‑Shirt Sponsor
• Qatar Airways – Official Airline and Series Title Partner
• DHL – longstanding Logistics Partner (since 2005)
• Others: Sokin, ResMed, Guardian AI, STATSports, WHOOP, Charles Tyrwhitt.
Players received record earnings through a new profit-share model introduced for the first time in Lions history. Each of the 40 squad members is expected to earn between £80,000–£100,000.
Clubs whose players were selected also benefited financially: Leinster could receive over £1m, with Saracens, Sale, and Northampton reportedly earning around £400,000 each.
Despite the success, the tour has sparked debate about over-commercialisation and the Lions’ evolving identity, especially with the looming proposal of the R360 global franchise league.
