World Rugby, the global governing body of rugby union, has set itself the task of making the sport as relevant and accessible as possible. The authority has been engaging in third party partnerships to achieve this goal.
This week, World Rugby announced an expansion of its partnership with Two Circles, a sports marketing agency which is building up its presence across various sectors, notably expanding its hold in football this year via a deal with Juventus.
The firm’s World Rugby agreement will focus on driving long-term sustainable growth for rugby increasing fan accessibility and relevance. Marketing arrangements will cover World Rugby’s full portfolio of competitions, media channels and content, focusing on key hosting and growth markets such as the UK, Australia and the US.
Rugby union has enjoyed considerable growth over the past couple of decades, with the Rugby World Cup expanded twice. The first expansion grew from 16 teams to 20 in 1999, and the next expansion will see 24 teams compete at the 2027 World Cup in Australia.
World Rugby Chief Revenue Officer, Michel Poussau, said: “World Rugby’s strategic purpose is to grow rugby worldwide by making it more relevant and accessible, growing our audience share with a super-competitive sports and entertainment marketplace.
“Two Circles’ track record, creative approach and audience expertise are exactly what we believe is needed to support our growth strategy, as our sport becomes ever more global in scale and as our footprint becomes more digital in nature.
“In partnership with Two Circles, we can significantly grow the commercial value of our rights and media channels – through Rugby World Cups, but also through rights we operate in the USA, via our RugbyPass platforms, and through underutilised commercial opportunities we see across the game.”
World Rugby’s partnership with Two Circles will focus on building on the aforementioned growth of rugby union, including the rise in popularity of the women’s game. The upcoming 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup, to be held in England, will therefore be a key focus point for the partners.
Clinching new partnerships, and ensuring existing ones remain in place, is another significant goal. Two Circles states that it aims to offer audience-led propositions to prospective brand partners, targeting growth in sponsorship and digital activity for rugby union.
Gareth Balch, CEO and Co-Founder at Two Circles, commented: “We are incredibly humbled by the trust that World Rugby continues to place in Two Circles, and excited by what we will achieve together in the coming cycles.
“Our partnership has been focused on growing rugby fans and allowing that engagement to grow the value of this marvellous sport. World Rugby’s vision to own direct relationships that scale to drive global competitions, engage rugby fans with brands in innovative ways and create the biggest platform for consuming the sport is inspiring.”
