Top 14 the 'cash cow' of the French
Fri, 27 Jun 2008 14:55
The two professional Rugby Union leagues in France, the Top 14 and Pro D2, have both registered increases in crowd numbers in the wake of the World Cup France hosted in September and October last year.
The Top 14 saw an average attendance of 10,966 per match, up from 10,550 last season, but an 11 percent rise in season ticket holders, to 78,181, according to the Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR), which oversees professional rugby in France.
In Pro D2, the average crowd numbered 5,108, up 13 percent on last year and a massive 65 percent on the 2005-6 season.
The number of season ticket holders in the Second Division jumped 36 percent, a figure attributed to the star-packed, Tana Umaga-coached Toulon club, which recorded a staggering 99 percent capacity during all home matches.
In the 10 years since professional rugby was introduced into France, the number of spectators has gone up 64 percent and the budget has doubled.
The LNR will have a €55-million budget next season, reaping €27.5 million from television rights, €12 million from sponsors and the rest from the Heineken Cup.
AFP
