Page 22 - RFU Annual Report 2018

2 CEO’S REVIEW
OF THE YEAR

0

ENGAGE levels, enabling all hospitality to be For the coming season there are a few
accommodated within the stadium in changes to ticketing at Twickenham.
The Engage Strategic Priority means an environment celebrating the unique We have reduced the number of price
engaging and inspiring new audiences, aspects of the Home of England Rugby. categories from seven to five and there
while developing deeper relationships has been an increase in ticket prices
with those already involved in the game. The East Stand work continued for the first time since 2016. The RFU
without impacting matches has also abolished ticket processing
The Game of our Lives campaign kicked and opens for the 2018 Quilter and credit card fees. Thousands of
off for both professional and grassroots international matches. The discounted child tickets will be available
rugby to unite everyone involved in Stand is designed to bring more to clubs during the autumn’s Quilter
the sport by celebrating the people and corporate hospitality in house Internationals, including the New
stories that make up the game. and maximise income for us to Zealand match and for the Italy match
spend on rugby in the Six Nations. We also continue
We continued to consult with those to offer the Constituent Bodies the
involved in rugby whatever their role rather than seeing significant hospitality opportunity to reward 16-24 year olds
and our National Rugby Survey brought profits taken away from the game. The who have returned to play rugby
14,000 responses, helping to inform the budget to build the East Stand has during the season with a free trip to
business and plan appropriately for the increased significantly, from an original Twickenham to watch the Quilter Cup
game. plan of £53.5 million, to around £80 match against the Barbarians in
million, largely as a result of significant June 2019.
Throughout the season the digital and urgent changes made to fire safety
fan base continued to grow our reach regulations following the Grenfell It was a busy season for Rugby Events,
and engagement, and we launched Tower tragedy plus additional counter with delivery beginning with the Rugby
new websites for the Greene King terrorism requirements requiring Europe Grand Prix 7s Series, Mitsubishi
Championship and Tyrrells Premier 15s. significant redesign of the building Motors and Exeter 7s, and concluding
We live streamed almost 50 games of during construction. The Health and with the summer’s HSBC London
rugby from all levels, including 10 from Safety of our fans is always our top Sevens, when approaching 100,000 fans
the Greene King Championship and 10 priority and these additional regulatory attended over the weekend.
from the Tyrrells Premier 15s. Across requirements were accepted without
social media, we grew England Rugby question. 2017/18 saw Bristol secure promotion
channels by over 10% with Instagram from the Greene King IPA
proving a key highlight, showing It is important, however, to remember Championship in the first season
audience growth of 15% across the that the new East Stand will still pay for without play-offs, and at the other end
season. itself fully within seven years, and the of the table, Rotherham were relegated.
incremental ongoing profits generated Over 250,000 spectators enjoyed
Our CRM system now operates from the hospitality provided within it, Championship rugby this season, with
as a central part of our marketing. will all be invested back into rugby. the milestone of two million supporters
Our data and technology allow us attending Championship matches
to deliver timely and personalised The stadium welcomed over 1.1 million reached.
communications to stakeholders, fans to watch outstanding sport and
participants and customers. Digital music during the year. Twickenham PROTECT
engagement continues to increase and once again showed its versatility as a
bring commercial benefits, including our world-class venue for sport and major Our Protect priority means protecting
First XV membership reaching capacity events with five England matches sold everything that makes rugby in England
for the second consecutive season out. Twickenham continues to power so special: protecting our players, clubs,
and selling over 50,000 tickets to the our investment in the game based the spirit and values of the game and the
November internationals. on consistently selling out our home
internationals. game’s international development.
At Twickenham Stadium, England I am proud to report that during the year
Rugby Hospitality was launched in a the RFU was recognised as Governing
joint venture with Compass Group as Body of the Year in the prestigious
exclusive provider of official match day Sports Industry Awards.
hospitality, and work continued on the
East Stand to build on our high-quality Player welfare continues to be a priority,
hospitality and to add variety to attract with more than 50,000 completions of
new audiences. the online Headcase training since its
Redevelopment of Twickenham launch in 2016 and 24,000 since last July.
Stadium’s East Stand created an
additional 11,600 sq m over six

Annual
Report
2018