[(IRB.COM) Tuesday 15 July 2008]ĄG
The International Rugby Board has announced that its Rugby Sevens World Series has again enjoyed impressive growth in its broadcast figures with the recently completed 2007/08 IRB Sevens World Series regarded as the most successful ever. The Series will celebrate its 10th anniversary when the 2008/09 Series kicks off in Dubai in late November.
Rugby's only international Grand Prix-style event, the IRB Sevens World Series again comprised eight tournaments in Dubai, South Africa, New Zealand, USA, Hong Kong, Australia, England and Scotland. It was televised by a record 33 international broadcasters in 13 different languages and reached 223 million homes (an increase of 10 million on 2006/07) in 135 countries.
According to TV production partner ProActive Television, the potential global cumulative reach was 556 million, up 24 million on the previous year. Live coverage again increased to 952 hours, while total television coverage - encompassing the popular delayed-live format - increased by 32% to 1945 hours.
The growing worldwide interest in Rugby Sevens is a further boost to the shortened discipline of the sport, which is played over two action-packed days in one arena. As Series owners, the International Rugby Board have chosen the Rugby Sevens discipline for its campaign to have Rugby re-introduced in the Olympic Games due to its popularity, its proven formula in multi-sport events, the excitement and colour it provides as a sport and its sense of fair play, friendship and sportsmanship.
"The continued growth in the TV audience for the IRB Sevens World Series reflects the worldwide popularity of Rugby Sevens," said International Rugby Board Chairman Bernard Lapasset.
"Sevens is a sporting spectacle, it always provides action, world class players and packed stadia at international locations around the world, making it popular to both broadcasters and Rugby fans alike. It is Rugby in its purest form and of course it can be played in any sports stadium and so does not need an expensive purpose built arena. Rugby Sevens also provides the opportunity for smaller nations and those who don't traditionally feature at the top of medal tables to win a medal. Fiji is our current Rugby Sevens World Cup champion, while South Africa, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, Argentina, Kenya and New Zealand are among the top Rugby Sevens nations," Lapasset added.
Reflecting the increasing number of rugby fans travelling to Sevens events abroad, the number of airlines offering highlights in-flight also rose during the 2007/08 season. Emirates was joined by British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Air Sri Lanka and Air New Zealand in showing the half-hour magazine style shows of each leg.
The IRB's worldwide production and distribution partner ProActive played a significant role in driving these record figures. Based in the UK, ProActive not only managed the distribution of the action on the field, but also managed the distribution of a record number of news stories with packages reaching over 220 million homes in more than 130 countries.
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