The United Rugby Championship and partner Roc Nation Sports promise to give players a voice, grow the fanbase and generally bring rugby into the 21st century of sports entertainment
The rebranded United Rugby Championship does not only herald a new dawn for South African rugby, but it is destined to drag the entire sport up and away from its amateur roots.
Even after the game turned pro, the sport had one foot in the past. Players very much remained silent partners and it took some convincing to get them a seat at rugby’s different decision-making tables. “Maro Itoje is iconic in the [United Kingdom]. Roc Nation has picked players to cross generational barriers, all barriers. I think that is what rugby has always been good at. Now rugby can lead the way and with the time, effort and commitment [that] Roc Nation is putting into it, we are going to see some really good things in the future.”
“I had the opportunity through CVC to meet the chief executive of the URC and I was really taken with his vision,” said Yormark of Martin Anayi. “His vision is to do things differently and to create a league committed to diversity, entertainment and giving players a voice.” Its custodians’ intransigence and failure to grasp basic economics have brought it to this point. They seem to believe that having 100% share of nothing trumps 49% of a potentially thriving business tooled and geared for the future. Their obstinance may see them lose their much cherished properties.
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