[b]Jonathan Castleman, group director, Consulting, Fast Track, reviews the impact of England’s success at the Rugby World Cup and asks whether the ‘pointy ball game’ can retain a place in the hearts of sports fans. [/b]
As if you needed reminding, the sixth Rugby World Cup comes to a close this weekend as England attempt to create history and become the first team ever to retain the trophy.
It seems that there are precious few souls within these shores who are unaware of the 80 minutes of rugby that will take place at the Stade de France on Saturday night.
We have watched almost in disbelief, transfixed, flabbergasted and absorbed in equal measure as England’s underdog story has developed over recent weeks. Over 14 million of us watched the semi-final on ITV at home at the weekend, millions more in pubs up and down the country; a record for a sporting event this year is virtually guaranteed when South Africa and England clash on Saturday night.
And yet the tournament kicked off to questioning headlines about it’s commercial impact, possible return on investment for official sponsors and a certain sense of unease as to how much public attention it might garner away from ardent rugby fans. Unfounded fears as it happens with the tournament an unqualified success from start to finish, but England’s sensational journey from ‘no hopers’ to possible World Cup winners has certainly uncovered interesting discussion points when put in a wider context.
In recent days and weeks, rugby has knocked the ‘national game’ of football off the front and back pages, enjoying reams of column inches and continuous coverage round the clock. Discussion has raged long over the airwaves, around office water coolers, over pints in pubs, and by those watching the astonishing results at home. We’ve all become passionate rugby fans and the boldest argument of all has not been whether Mike Catt starts at inside centre or is Jonny’s left boot better than his right, but whether rugby has overtaken football as this country’s number one game.
England’s all important football qualifying tie from Wembley last weekend struggled to attract half the number of viewers as the heart stopping entertainment in Paris later that evening. Not unsurprising you might argue, given the stature and timing of the two occasions, but for the year round all consuming gravy train that football has come in recent years, still perhaps a shock to the system that it should be playing second fiddle to the ‘pointy ball game’.
The Rugby World Cup has in six wonderful weeks provoked interesting debate: could well-paid footballers learn something from rugby players? Sportsmanship, camaraderie, honesty, setting an example to youngsters, discipline, graciousness in defeat and many, many more virtues are regularly on display during 80 minutes of the rugby, all brought brilliantly to our attention by England’s seeming fairytale progression through round after round of nail-biting action.
It is these qualities that offer many companies an excellent opportunity within the sport. Fast Track clients such as Land Rover, who are supporters of the England team, and Heineken, who have a prestigious tradition within rugby both at World Cup and club level (as well as many others) have long been sponsors of the sport and are able to derive extensive value from their associations, particularly so at such occasions as this.
It is not a ground-breaking statement to say that there is a significant increase in value when a brand is associated with a sporting success - be it a team, competition or individual. The passion, feeling and excitement that sport across the board engenders is what we all love and is part of it’s unique appeal and consequently, it’s commercial value.
However, rugby’s challenge is to build on its recent upsurge in popularity and to make use of the shop window to hold the attention of some of the millions who have watched transfixed in recent weeks. Once the last minute trips for a piece of the action in Paris are a long distant memory, how then will rugby hold our hearts?
Rugby will not suffer from a lack of product for any possible converts from the adoring Parisian invasion to enjoy - with the Premiership and Heineken Cup offering weekly club action at the highest level, and the Six Nations continuing to thrill and excite on an annual basis - but it is in the area of participation that it can also make great strides. Reports are already circulating of new players getting out, joining local sides and doing their best Jonny impressions and it is for clubs, the RFU and other governing bodies to hold these fans – maybe not as the next World Cup winning captain but certainly as an audience for future matches.
England have stunned many of us with their unlikely progress against all the odds in recent weeks. Should they scoop the ultimate prize in Paris on Saturday night, then it will be a massive opportunity for rugby to build on its increasing popularity and also continue to enhance its commercial offering. Whether it can become the ‘new football’ is debateable but hopefully Paris 2007 will be more than a short lived love affair.
