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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...
Actually, New Zealand is the definitive "predictable financial success" - the IRB has negotiated what they will receive and it is underwritten by the NZ government.
It'd be great to see Argentina and Japan get a shot. Not sure how Argentina would fair financially though...
"Remember lads, rugby is a team game; all 14 of you make sure you pass the ball to Giteau."
So as far as the IRB is concerned they will make their money, but the NZRU may not make anything??
Will not make anything - the estimates that I have seen predict a government top-up of between NZ$32M and NZ$50M.
From what I've read, they're expecting an operating loss of NZ$30 million in 2011, compared to an operating profit of over 110 million Euro from last year's tournament...
Thats what i had read. Just wanted to clarify the differance.
So the IRB gets what it wants (it's slice of the pie) and the rest is left to the host nation be it profit or loss? Did the French Union make any money from 2007?
Maybe they will do a southern hemosphere country and lose money and then go back to europe and make heaps of $$.
Does anyone else reckon this is a ruse to get people to forget about the farce of choosing the loss making NZ tournament for 2011?
I doubt people will forget it before the world cup, some people might be a bit red faced over it though
I won't remind you about the previous upgrade to subi then
give it to japan! could do with a trip there......