World Rugby Appoints IMG To Manage Global Licensing, Merchandising Through '23

World Rugby appointed IMG to manage the global licensing and merchandising rights for its major properties until the end of '23. The partnership incorporates the men’s and women’s Rugby World Cups, the annual World Rugby U20 Championship and the World Rugby Hall of Fame, which launched as a physical destination in Rugby, England, last year. There are more than 300 million rugby fans worldwide. IMG will target licensees to design, produce and distribute ranges of apparel, fan, lifestyle and leisure products for each tournament. In addition, IMG will develop bespoke lines for the World Rugby HOF and egaming. The deal represents a further boost for a Rugby World Cup 2019 commercial program that has seen the inventory of worldwide partners secured in record time with record value (World Rugby).