With players all set for lucrative endorsement deals – especially hero Jonny Wilkinson, who is being groomed as the David Beckham of rugby – the RFU says it anticipates a 20 percent leap in turnover over the next 12 months.
Said RFU commercial director Paul Vaughan: “Already our mail order and on-line retailing business trade has gone up dramatically.
“We expect an uplift of about 20 per cent in turnover but staggered, mainly because we have a lot of deals in place already.
“It will mean that we will be able to drive a commercial programme that will benefit the sport from grassroots to the elite game. The more money we get the more we can invest in the game at all levels.”
Among the benefits, the RFU says it expects to see:
•Increased demand for all major international games and Zurich Premiership matches.
•Increase in demand for hospitality suites
•Increased demand for RWC winners merchandise and England shirts
•Bonus payments from sponsors
•A boost in renegotiating existing sponsorship and TV deals
•And a rise in membership to the England Rugby Supporters Club
The RFU also hopes participation in the sport will rocket.
Meanwhile, England is braced for the return of its winning team – with a victory parade expected to be organised and announced in the coming days.
