Rugby scores well as fan numbers soar
The number of people who consider themselves to be fans of rugby has risen 20 per cent, to more than 2.1 million, in the last five years. Of these, more than 900,000 describe themselves as ‘‘avid fans’’, according to research by sponsorship consultants Onside.
The rugby research, which showed that three in four Irish males were now rugby fans, comes as decisive games in the Heineken Cup are being played this month and before next month’s Six Nations.
The research also showed that the sport’s appeal grows with age, with six out of ten Irish 18 to 24-year-olds interested in the game, compared with a high of 72 per cent of 45 to 54year-olds.
In Munster, 69 per cent of people are interested in the game, while a relatively high six in ten people in Connacht/Ulster are also rugby fans.
‘‘This all bodes well for the year ahead, in which the return of the Six Nations to the Aviva Stadium and the 2011 Rugby World Cup will continue to ensure the retention of these fan numbers, while also recruiting new, potentially casual fans to the game," said John Trainor, managing director of Onside.
Onside research found that 28 per cent of all consumers claimed they would ‘‘pick a brand’s product or service over a similarly priced competitor product if the brand is an official sponsor of a sport they follow’’. This result level was much higher among ‘‘avid fans’’ of sport.
In the case of dedicated football fans, their likelihood of picking a sponsor’s brand over a competitor as a result of their sponsorship was 12 percentage points higher than the general population.
Trainor said that 2010 had brought belt-tightening to the sponsorship sector in Ireland. Onside Sponsorship’s annual Irish market estimates, due for release next month, are likely to indicate a decline of around 5 per cent in sponsorship spending.
However, Trainor said that sponsorship held its own compared with other marketing tools.
Source - The Sunday Business Post by Samantha McCaughren
Date - January 2011
