World Rugby and IMG Launch Apparel Supplier Consultation

World Rugby and its global master licensee IMG today announced the consultation process to select a global sports apparel supplier for all competitions during the 2021-24 period will launch this month.

The global sports apparel supplier will, for the first time, have access to rights and assets for all of World Rugby’s international competitions, including Rugby World Cup 2021 and 2023.

Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan, the first to be hosted in Asia, broke attendance and broadcast audience records with 1.8 million fans in the stadiums and more than 857 million people tuning in from around the world to watch the action. Additionally, sales of the 2019 tournament’s licensed products and merchandise outperformed 2015’s by more than 40 per cent.

World Rugby Commercial Director Tom Hill said: “We are delighted to be kicking off this important process with IMG, our global master licensee. The selection of the right apparel supplier is key to projecting the sport, engaging with fans and growing revenues for reinvestment in the sport. Given the prestige of the properties this agreement will cover, the success of the apparel programme at RWC 2019 in Japan, and excitement around France 2023, this is an attractive and lucrative proposition for interested parties – one that will directly support the growth of rugby worldwide.”

Mickael Andreo, VP of Licensing, IMG, said: “Rugby is enjoying unprecedented worldwide growth across male, female and youth participation after Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan broke a multitude of records in one of the most impactful and ground-breaking tournaments in the game’s history. We are looking forward to taking this opportunity to market as we believe it represents a singular opportunity for brands aiming to position themselves as the authority in the rugby space.”