Page 19 - RFU Annual Report 2015/2016

Chief Executive Officer
17

At home in significantly more The 2016/17 season brings changes
Twickenham during revenue than the to Age Grade Rugby with much

the season, records previous agreement work done to prepare the game for
this positive development of rugby
were broken with and, with new sponsors including for our younger players.
over 1.6million Mitsubishi and Old Mutual Wealth,
fans at matches, we renewed our Canterbury
partnership for a further four years
800,000 tickets on better terms, and extended
sold to 13 regular relationships with Dove, Vitality
matches, and an and CBRE.
additional 10 Rugby
World Cup matches We also saw the largest
selling another ever distribution
800,000 tickets. of official England
Rugby licensed

Our new five-year revolving credit apparel into the marketplace,
facility with RBS will help fund generating £35m of retail sales
a reconfiguration through Canterbury and our
of the East Stand, licensees.
which will bring Our Twickenham Experience Ltd
our corporate joint venture with Compass Group
hospitality under continues to achieve outstanding

one roof and greatly enhance match day public sales and
facilities for our debenture holders, hospitality, and non-match day
with £36.6m of debentures having conferences and events. Of the
been sold during the year. £10.5m profit before tax, 60% was
retained by the RFU.
At the Stadium, 0n the eve
of the Army Navy match, we Many awards were won this
unveiled The Rose & Poppy Gates year. O2’s Wear the Rose won
commissioned by our Great War ‘Best Sponsorship of a Team or
Commemoration Working Group Individual’ at the Sports Industry
as tribute to fallen rugby players. Awards, and O2 Touch hit 12,000
This was a timely reminder of all registered players playing in more
those lost on the Somme on the than 275 centres nationwide.
July 1st Centenary.
By the New Year the Young
We have seen more Rugby Ambassador programme
activation and had been relaunched, partnered
with vInspired, allowing young
investment from volunteers to log hours and claim
partners than ever rewards.
before, helping us to achieve
our business priorities to Old Mutual Wealth
support our teams, launched Kids First
engage fans and Rugby for the U7s
support grassroots to U13s to promote
programmes. fun, build skills and
confidence, and put
Our first year of young players at the
the new Sky TV heart of the game.
deal delivered

The Rose & Poppy Gates
Concept sketch, Harry Gray, 2014

Annual Report 2015/16