RUGBY EUROPE, the administrative body for rugby union in Europe, member of World Rugby, and leading international media rights distributor, PROTOCOL SPORTS MARKETING have signed an exclusive media rights distribution deal to market and license the 47-member Rugby Europe across Asia, Oceania, and South Africa.
Founded in 1934 and renamed in 2014, Rugby Europe is the largest continental rugby organization in the world with 2.5 million registered rugby players totaling 59% of rugby players worldwide. Rugby Europe’s events include the Rugby Europe Men & Women Elite XV Championship and Rugby Europe Men & Women European VII Championship Series, which serve as European championships as well as Qualifiers for the Rugby World Cup, Olympic Games, and World Rugby Sevens Series. Rugby Europe also organizes the Rugby Europe Super Cup, featuring eight clubs/franchises from European countries to crown the annual Rugby Europe Club Champion.
The agreement between Rugby Europe and Protocol Sports Marketing will provide the launchpad for this well-established property to launch on major platforms in new and important emerging markets such as South Africa, China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and more. Rugby Europe has demonstrated itself as a successful television product, televised across Europe and the world, and the potential for continued international expansion is impressive.
The 2023 season of Rugby Europe began on February 4 with the Rugby Europe Men Elite XV Championship which see Georgia, Romania, Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, and Germany compete over five rounds of action culminating on March 19, 2023, with the Grand Finals weekend in Badajoz (Spain) and Amsterdam (Netherlands).
“We are excited to work with Protocol Sports Marketing, who will introduce Rugby Europe into new markets,” says Rugby Europe CEO Florent Marty. “Rugby has demonstrated tremendous growth as a participation sport and as a spectator sport; there is an increasing demand for elite rugby competition.”
Known for over a decade as the leading distributor of boxing rights worldwide, Protocol continues to announce acquisitions in sports beyond boxing, including Rugby, Volleyball, Beach Soccer, Bare Knuckle Fighting, Poker, and more. “Our team has always looked at rugby as a sport with major potential for continued international growth,” says J. Gary Gladman, Protocol Sports CEO. “Rugby Europe’s competitions present a wonderful opportunity to engage a new wave of broadcasters across multiple platforms in emerging major markets to broaden rugby’s global reach and showcase the elite talent on display in the world’s biggest rugby organization.”
For more information, please contact Jugal Yadav via email at jyadav@protocolsports.com or by phone at +1 416 449 9400 ext. 235.