Is a franchise model the only way to save rugby union? June 15, 2025 Despite various approaches to the same question as to whether rugby can find a stable commercial footing, various rugby factions seem to be coming to the same conclusion: are franchises the answer? Franchise sport can be hit and miss; in the US NFL and NBA franchises are seeing valuations north of $5bn. In the Indian [...]
Bath favourites for Premiership title but you cannot write off Cheika June 13, 2025 Saturday’s sell-out Premiership final between Bath Rugby and Leicester Tigers feels like something from the 90s, when these two – alongside Wasps – were the powerhouses of English ovalball. But looking at the two squads set to clash at the 82,000-capacity Allianz Stadium in Twickenham this weekend, they couldn’t be any further from those teams [...]
Rugby 7s returns to London this Friday with 50-team bonanza June 11, 2025 Fifty universities will descend on Richmond this Friday as rugby sevens continues its revival in the capital. After the Square Mile enjoyed the London City 7s – won by Harlequins at the HAC this spring – the University Celestial 7s will take place at Richmond Athletic Ground on Friday. “We’re talking about nearly 1,000 of [...]
Exclusive: R360 rugby breakaway will have a player draft and be free-to-air June 11, 2025 The R360 global rugby breakaway plans to be broadcast free-to-air, beginning with a draft of big-name male and female players where club owners are mic’d up, City AM has learned. The franchise-based project is slated to launch next year and – if successful – promises to fix the loss-making club game and change the face [...]
R360 rugby project fully funded and profitable after a year, say insiders June 9, 2025 The breakaway R360 global club rugby competition has already secured the funding to launch in 2026 and is targeting a profit in its second year, sources close to the ambitious project have told City AM. Organisers of R360 intend to change the face of the sport through franchise ownership, attracting brands not traditionally associated with [...]
Premiership play-offs: Bath and Leicester to set up old school final June 6, 2025 The final day of the Premiership was a brilliant advert for English top-flight rugby, but this weekend’s play-offs will turn that up another notch. On Friday night runaway league leaders Bath take on local rivals Bristol Bears while, on Saturday, Leicester face Sale Sharks in the East Midlands. The Premiership semi-finals are always a series [...]
Investec Champions Cup lands Emirates deal June 4, 2025 Investec Champions Cup governing body EPCR have landed Emirates Airlines as their newest principal sponsor. The deal will see the airline become a European Professional Club Rugby premium partner and official airline partner for both of the European club competitions organised by the body. It comes amid rumours that chief commercial officer Francois Vergnol is [...]
Brighton owner Bloom looks to add French Ligue 1 club to portfolio May 28, 2025 In this week’s Ahead of the Game: Brighton owner Tony Bloom, football films, The Hundred sale, rugby rights and the National League. Brighton owner Tony Bloom is exploring a potential investment in a French club after completing his purchase of a 29 per cent stake in Scottish Premier League side Heart of Midlothian this week. [...]
France real winners out of Bordeaux Champions Cup success May 26, 2025 Sometimes it takes a Bordeaux to come along and remind you why the Investec Champions Cup is the most prestigious competition in club rugby. A couple of years ago you wouldn’t have even put Bordeaux in the mix to reach the knockout stages of the competition, then they started to build a ruthless machine that [...]
Investec Champions Cup: Cardiff, Chippy Lane and rugby’s selling point May 26, 2025 Walking down Cardiff’s iconic “Chippy Lane” in the shadow of the Principality Stadium on Saturday night after the Investec Champions Cup final was a reminder of the very best of club rugby. Bordeaux fans celebrating their 28-20 victory alongside Northampton Saints fans drinking away their sorrows – before the mad dash back across the border [...]