LONDON (CelebrityAccess) — AEG announced that they are launching a new division, AEG Rugby, that will focus on the sport with an eye towards developing partnership opportunities and programming for its stadiums and venues.
Veteran international rugby player and former Executive Vice President for United World Sports, Dan Lyle, will serve as the division’s Director.
AEG Rugby will be developed under the AEG Sports business unit, which includes professional sports franchises as the LA Kings (NHL), LA Galaxy (MLS), Berlin Eisbären (DEL) and the Amgen Tour of California professional cycling stage race, among other assets.
In announcing the new venture, AEG cited a 2015 EY study that shows that rugby is now played in more than 119 countries with an estimated 6.6 million players worldwide. By 2026, the number of global rugby players is expected to hit 15 million and 150 countries are expected embrace the sport, according to data analyzed by banking giant HSBC.
Additionally, the number of participating unions in the Rugby World Cup Tournament has grown from 16 in 1987 at its inception to 95 in 2015 with a television viewership of more than 4 billion people in 207 countries, the company said. – Staff Writers
