Home Nations want greater share of Lions tour profits

With the 2013 British and Irish Lions tour of Australia expected to generate in excess of $65 million in profit for the Australian Rugby Union, the touring 'home nations' are looking for a greater share of profits from future Lions tours.

British and Irish Lions tours have become a regular fixture in the international rugby calendar, with a tour every four years to either Australia, New Zealand or South Africa. With the current agreement between the Lions (representing the 'home nations' of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales) and SANZAR (the joint venture of the South African Rugby Union, the New Zealand Rugby Union and the Australian Rugby Union) set to run out after the next New Zealand tour in 2017, negotiations will begin next year on a new one which promises to be markedly different because of the explosion of interest in the Lions.

Welsh Rugby Union Chief Executive Roger Lewis recently told the BBC that the home nations need to look at how the money made from the British and Irish Lions tours is divided up.

With the ARU set to earn in excess of $65 million from the recent nine-game tour, the Lions are expected to share income of around $10 million, generated largely by sponsorship, which will be shared by Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales.

Lewis explained that this split of income "is the subject of much debate at the moment, in terms of the monies generated by the Lions.

"The majority, by a country mile, of the revenue generated goes to the host country, so in this case it's Australia.

"For the home unions, the shareholders of Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales, the numbers are relatively modest."

The Lions tour also attracted in excess of 30,000 travelling supporters to Australia with Tourism Australia estimating a resultant $150 million for the Australian economy.

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