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New Zealand to Reap $78.1m Windfall from Rugby World Cup 2011 Final Weekend: MasterCard Research
Auckland, 21 October 2011: The Rugby World Cup 2011 Final weekend will generate $78.1 million for the regional economy as fans from France and across New Zealand descend on Auckland for the Final on Sunday, according to new research commissioned by MasterCard Worldwide. MasterCard's research, the Economic Impact on Global Rugby Part V: Rugby World Cup 2011 Final, finds that the total regional GDP impact from hosting the 2011 Final could be as much as $67.6 million to the New Zealand economy. The research follows the fourth installment of a series commissioned by MasterCard Worldwide and undertaken by the Centre for the International Business of Sport (CIBS) at Coventry University, following economic impact reports on the 2010 Six Nations and Tri Nations, Rugby's Emerging Markets and the Economic Impact of Rugby World Cup 2011. The latest research examines the value of the RWC 2011 Final by looking at the short-term commerce flow through international fans spending in bars, clubs, shops, hotels and bookmakers along with sponsors and organisations spending on marketing in and around Auckland, where the Final will be staged on Sunday night. "The climax of Rugby World Cup 2011 will be a revenue spinner for a number of reasons: scheduling the Bronze Final playoff on Friday night, with the Final on Sunday evening is likely to bring in a surge of fans from outside Auckland who are in town for a once-in-a-lifetime long weekend and to watch their team's tilt for global domination," said CIBS Director Simon Chadwick. It is estimated that the windfall for the winning nation will amount to between $43.7 to $62.5 million. In addition to the tangible impact of winning Rugby World Cup 2011, the report says that the winning nation can expect further commercial perks such as increased player value; bonus payments attached to sponsorship and other commercial relationships; and increased attendances at future games. The RWC 2011 Final is expected to be the most watched TV event ever in New Zealand. Should the All Blacks win the Final, each player will receive a share of a $3 million bonus, equating to approximately $100,000 each. The sum the French squad are set to receive is even higher, with each player standing to earn a $310,000 (180,000 euro) bonus if they become Champions. Rugby World Cup: England and Japan The MasterCard research also examines the economic impact of the next two installments of Rugby World Cup-in England in 2015 and Japan in 2019. The research finds the directeconomic impact of RWC 2015 on the English economy estimated to be as much as NZ$1.9 billion. RWC 2019 in Japan is estimated to be in the region of NZ$890.6 million, with longer term impact up to NZ$3.36 billion. Stuart Cameron, vice president, Regional Marketing, Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa, MasterCard Worldwide, said: "This has been the Tournament that keeps on giving: not only has it had a huge impact on the local economy through overseas spending, but its impact on the Game itself has been significant too. In Romania, Russia and Georgia we have seen where the future growth of this sport lies-and in the Final this weekend we will see which of France or New Zealand are its undisputed champions in 2011." Rugby World Cup Final – Television History The Rugby World Cup 2011 Final will be the most watched television event in New Zealand history. The All Blacks' semi-final against Australia attracted 1.9 million viewers, equating to almost half of New Zealand's population watching the game on television (48.7% of all people 5+ nationwide), representing 89% of the audience share. The television viewing figures for the Tournament so far have been strong; with the Wales v France semi-final kick off at 10am recording 9.5 million viewers in France, representing a 73% share of the audience (85% of the male viewers and 65% of female viewers under 50 years old). This had increased to 11.3 million by the end of the match, representing the 9th highest Rugby audience in France since 1989 – a significant achievement given the time difference. Source: Economic Impact on Global Rugby Part IV: Rugby World Cup 2011 Final About MasterCard MasterCard (NYSE: MA) is a global payments and technology company. It operates the world's fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. MasterCard's products and solutions make everyday commerce activities-such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances-easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Learn more at mastercard.com or follow us on Twitter @mastercardnews or join the conversation on The Heart of Commerce Blog. MasterCard & Rugby World Cup 2011 MasterCard Worldwide is an Official Worldwide Partner and the official payment system of Rugby World Cup 2011. The company leverages the platform to further deliver shareholder value by creating exclusive business-building opportunities for its customer financial institutions, while building MasterCard brand affinity by offering priceless experiences to MasterCard cardholders. As part of its agreement, MasterCard secures a comprehensive rights and benefits package that allows the company to deliver value to customer financial institutions, merchants and cardholders, including the ability to access "Priceless" experiences linked to Rugby World Cup 2011. Rugby World Cup is the crown jewel of the sport and a prominent global property-with television coverage of Rugby World Cup 2007 spanning more than 200 territories, reaching a cumulative audience of 4.3 billion viewers. Rugby World Cup 2011 is being held in New Zealand for the first time since the inaugural event in 1987. Teams representing 20 nations will compete in 48 matches across eleven host cities during September and October. The Final is scheduled for Auckland's historic Eden Park on October 23, 2011. Beyond its expertise in world-class sponsorship marketing, MasterCard also has a rich heritage of supporting the sport of Rugby in the host country. MasterCard has been a sponsor of the New Zealand All Blacks team for more than seven years. MasterCard is also match sponsor to the Barbarian Internationals for 2009-2010. |
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