Welsh Rugby CEO Questions Lions Tour Money Split

Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) chief executive Roger Lewis has questioned the ‘modest’ amount of money the home nations make from the British and Irish Lions tour.

The Lions are currently touring Australia which will end in a three-Test series against the Wallabies, with the tour becoming an integral part of the international rugby calendar.

Every four years the Lions tour Australia, New Zealand or South Africa, but Lewis has claimed that discussions need to be held over the money received by the home nations.

“This is the subject of much debate at the moment, in terms of the monies generated by the Lions,” said Lewis.

“The majority, by a country mile, of the revenue generated goes to the host country, so in this case it’s Australia.

“For the home unions, the shareholders of Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales, the numbers are relatively modest.

“You are in the low figures of millions to be shared between the four of us.

“So it is not a significant revenue generator.”

£40m for Australian Rugby

Reports suggest the Australian Rugby Union will bag £40m ($62.5m) from the tour whilst the Lions will share a meager £6m ($9.4m) – most of which is generated from sponsorship.

“The first thing is to understand all of the dynamics around it [a Lions tour], and I know the British and Irish Lions are doing that themselves and understanding what their costs are and the benefits,” Lewis added.

“It is something that does need to be looked at now because the game has taken off since the last great Lions win in ’97.

“In 2001, 2005 and 2009 [Lions tours]… it was very different from the world we are in now, so the world has moved on and now is the time to look at it afresh.”