Menu
Download the app

SBJ subscribers – Enhance your experience with the revamped iOS app

Events and Attractions

Rugby World Cup Head Pledges Faith In Japan 2019 Organizers

The head of the Rugby World Cup "is confident" that Japan can make the first tournament to be held in Asia "a success," according to Andrew McKirdy of the JAPAN TIMES. A Rugby World Cup delegation including RWC Head Alan Gilpin spent a week "liaising with Japan 2019 organizers, four months after the 2015 tournament in England shattered attendance records and captured the world's attention." The Japanese public played its part in England '15’s success by setting a new TV viewing record of 25 million for the Brave Blossoms’ group-stage win over Samoa, and Gilpin "believes interest will continue to grow as Japan prepares to host the event in 2019." Gilpin said, "We know that the landscape of rugby union here in Japan is very different to England. We also know that the landscape for rugby here in Japan is different to how it was six months ago. There is an audience that is excited. Part of marketing for Rugby World Cup 2019 will be about showing the people of Japan that this is a big event." Japan's performance in England "sparked a wave of rugby fever in japan and made superstars of national team players such as Ayumu Goromaru and captain Michael Leitch." Japanese rugby is hoping to capitalize with the Tokyo-based Sunwolves debuting in Super Rugby on Saturday, and Gilpin "is happy with what he sees." Gilpin: "We're very excited and pleased about the progress that is being made here in Japan. In many respects, the preparation here is ahead of the preparation at the same stage of previous World Cups" (JAPAN TIMES, 2/23).

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 25, 2024

NFL meeting preview; MLB's opening week ad effort and remembering Peter Angelos.

Big Get Jay Wright, March Madness is upon us and ESPN locks up CFP

On this week’s pod, our Big Get is CBS Sports college basketball analyst Jay Wright. The NCAA Championship-winning coach shares his insight with SBJ’s Austin Karp on key hoops issues and why being well dressed is an important part of his success. Also on the show, Poynter Institute senior writer Tom Jones shares who he has up and who is down in sports media. Later, SBJ’s Ben Portnoy talks the latest on ESPN’s CFP extension and who CBS, TNT Sports and ESPN need to make deep runs in the men’s and women's NCAA basketball tournaments.

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Global/Issues/2016/02/24/Events-and-Attractions/Japan-2019-RWC.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Global/Issues/2016/02/24/Events-and-Attractions/Japan-2019-RWC.aspx

CLOSE