Scottish Rugby Union CEO Mark Dodson "spent a week in Japan before Christmas looking into a variety of rugby and business links between Scotland and the Far East," according to David Ferguson of the SCOTSMAN. However, Dodson "was quick to dismiss speculation that the trip was made to uncover a new sponsor for Murrayfield Stadium." Dodson stated in '12 that he would be open to the idea of "selling" Murrayfield to a multi-million pound sponsor. The reality is that "there is not a queue of businesses nor wealthy individuals" offering the several million pounds investment that Dodson insists would be necessary for the stadium sponsorship to become a possibility."
A LOT TO GAIN: It appears there is "no pot of gold in the Far East either, as Dodson returned without any new sponsorships in his briefcase, but the CEO insisted that the Japan trip was worthwhile." Dodson said, "It is clear that Japan is a huge country with a massive population and huge corporations, that own the rugby teams in Japan, so the commercial opportunities there are not difficult to see, but we have to first develop a relationship based on firm foundations rather than just going over and trying to get money in the bank." He continued, "We talked about a whole range of opportunities with different people and organisations, but, no, we have not agreed any deals for Japanese firms to sponsor Murrayfield Stadium" (SCOTSMAN, 1/3).