DON’T GET DUMPED EXPLORING THE UNTAPPED WORLD CUP OPPORTUNITIES AS RUGBY GOES GLOBAL
THE DAWNING OF A NEW ERA FOR WORLD RUGBY… According to a survey by World Rugby, the global rugby fanbase has increased by a staggering 24% since 2013 to 780 million fans. With the countdown to the 2019 World Cup now on, this phenomenal growth will continue to accelerate. As rugby’s new era dawns, brands will be presented with a huge opportunity to connect with a new and engaged fanbase that will be glued to the sport’s first truly global tournament. But who is this new 24%? In 2017, our Fan Intelligence® team conducted a global study with over 15,000 fans where we identified the emergence of these ‘New Age’ fans who are shaping the future of the sport. As the excitement builds towards Japan 2019, we have been speaking to our global Fan Intelligence® network to discover even more about this group and explore how brands can reach them with campaigns that drive results.
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A HUGE DECADE FROM COMMONWEALTH PASTIME TO GLOBAL PHENOMENON… Since 2008, rugby has absolutely exploded onto the global stage with astonishing force, bringing the sport from the back pages to the front. New superstars such as Maro Itoje, James Haskell, Rieko Ioane and Kieran Read are becoming much more than ‘just players’, travelling the world to new markets and enabling rugby to cross over into entertainment, culture and lifestyle media channels. Meanwhile on the pitch, the game itself has become faster, more electrifying and more exciting, whilst staying true to the ‘family-friendly’ values at its core.
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GRO
STRATOSPHERIC
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After 16 years of dominance with nothing to show for it, the formidable All Blacks triumphed in the 2011 World Cup Final against France as 125M fans watched with baited breath
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In 2013, 1,026,527 fans attended Six Nations games. The tournament exploded throughout media
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OWTH In 2015, Japan’s thrilling defeat of South Africa galvanized the nation and inspired a generation of youth players
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The 2016 Rio Olympics introduced rugby en masse to Asia, where 112M now identify as fans Meanwhile, 25M fans are following rugby in India after the excitement of Rugby Sevens in Rio 2016
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The US now has one of the world’s biggest rugby fanbases at a ‘Casual’ & ‘Big Eventer’ level, with 33M fans as of 2018
HOSTING 2019 IN JAPAN HAS CHANGED HOW FANS VIEW THE GAME
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WHO ARE THEY?
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THEY ARE FROM NEW RUGBY MARKETS
112.5M FANS IN ASIA
“We’re proud of all our athletes, but beating South Africa in the World Cup was an unbelievable high.” Takuro, 23, Japan
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“Sergio Parisse. He’s a sporting god. I would want him to captain every sports team we have!” Sarah, 31, Italy
THEY ARE INCREASINGLY LIKELY TO BE FEMALE
36% OF GLOBAL RUGBY FANS ARE FEMALE
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THEY LOVE THE GAME FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT ON SHOW
62% OF FANS SAY THEY LOVE THE SPEED AND ATHLETICISM
“Rugby is the most electrifying sport on the planet right now!” David, 24, Australia
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HOW DO YOU CONNECT WITH THESE FANS…?
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1.
CREATE
A huge percentage of the fans we spoke to became fans after watching the Sevens at the Rio Olympics and say that the excitement and speed of the sport is a major draw for them. Creating content and activations that elevate and highlight the electricity of the game will therefore appeal to this audience, as shown by Investec’s ‘Super Boom Boom’ & Canterbury’s ‘Own the Unexpected’ campaigns, both of which champion the thrill and raw energy of the game and the physical displays of emotion from fans and players.
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“IT’S EXCITING ALL ROUND
“IT’S THE OF THE FANS & THE PLAYERS”
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2.
Whilst the remarkable increase in the rugby fanbase is undoubtedly a huge opportunity for brands, it also presents a unique challenge. This new audience group are exactly that… new, and need the intricacies and nuances of the sport presented to them in totally different ways to more ‘experienced’ fans. There is therefore a clear role for brands who are willing to educate these new fans. And we’re not just talking about the rules here… we’re talking about the players, the rituals, the rivalries, the hidden stories and the rich history of the game. These fans are hungry for more and brands are perfectly placed to feed this hunger.
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“I DON’T REALLY KNOW WHO THE TEAMS ARE YET!” Kym, 24, Australia
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3.
LEVERAGE GLOB
Undoubtedly, the most consistent finding across all of our research has been the crucial role played by the new generation of rugby superstars in driving the growth of this new fan segment. ‘Idol Worship’ has always been commonplace in football but we are increasingly seeing this kind of behaviour exhibited by rugby fans with fandom directed towards individual players. Brands like Beats by Dre have become well known for elevating individual stars and feeding fans’ desire to see who they are ‘behind the scenes’. Brands will win this year if they can create platforms and opportunities for rugby fans to express and cultivate their fandom.
BAL
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“MARO ITOJE – HE’S COOL. HE’S MORE THE TYPE OF PLAYER WE LIKE”
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4.
THINK
The 2019 World Cup will kick off almost 4 years to the day since Japan’s unbelievable triumph against the Springboks in 2015…their first World Cup win in 24 years! However, as well as being a defining moment for Japan, this was also part of a larger re-envisioning of rugby as a truly global game. Rugby is no longer the domain of the ‘traditional’ nations and a huge percentage of these new fans come from countries such as China, Canada, the US, Namibia, Georgia and Russia…where grassroots rugby is also blossoming. This continued redefining of the sport provides a rich territory for brands to explore this year with thousands of new stories to be told.
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We hope you’ve our exploration New Age Rugby If we’ve left you more, then get to find out abou further untapp Cup opportunit rugby goes glo Owen Laverty, Director of Fan Intelligence® owenlaverty@eartotheground.org
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