IRB to announce hosts for RWC 2015 and 2019
Wed, 23/04/2008 - 10:34
The International Rugby Board are likely to announce the next two venues for the Rugby World Cup simultaneously, breaking with their normal practice of announcing them one at a time, in order to make it easier for ‘smaller’ rugby nations to host the event.
The board will vote on April 30 to decide if it will announce both the 2015 and 2019 venues this December.
By announcing two venues simultaneously it is hoped that the traditionally conservative World Cup delegates who decide the venue will be more likely to take the financial risk of voting for an event in a nation where rugby is not as big as in the small group of ‘superpowers’.
Thus a venue such as Japan, Italy, North America, or Argentina might be considered viable if it was to be followed up with a tournament in the UK, France, Australia, South Africa, or New Zealand which would be a more predictable financial success.
Television companies have also been putting pressure on the IRB to change the one-tournament-at-a-time decision process. They prefer two or three tournament deals, but at present that means bidding for tournaments before knowing their venue and time-zone.
IRB communications manager Greg Thomas said: "We are determined to broaden Rugby World Cup’s scope and break new ground some time soon with a ‘different’ host venue but at all times we must be mindful that Rugby World Cup and the profits – £90m operating profits in France – underpins the game, elite and developing, across the globe.
"If this process is adopted later this month it would, in future years, give a new venue much more time to plot the way forward – and they can use that period to further promote the game and cement their infrastructure."
IRB to announce hosts for RWC 2015 and 2019
Interesting how they call New Zealand a "predictable financial success" - it's precisely because the 2011 tournament is expected to lose money that the Japanese are worried England might get the 2015 tournament. I guess it's up to them to provide a compelling business case then...
