Elixirr is delighted to announce that it is the official data and consulting partner of the United Rugby Championship (URC).

As principal partner, the firm will explore the future of the URC’s fan engagement, commercial growth opportunities and operational enhancements through a partnership that includes consultative work and a rigorous data analytics strategy. It will focus on implementing a business-first approach that provides a deep understanding of all in-bowl and other statistics from across the organisation to drive tangible efficiencies, with a view to providing enhancements across the URC’s league as a whole.

Elixirr will work with Oval Insights to deliver live match day stats, while using its retail expertise to elevate the league’s business and retail performance to boost commercial revenue. In particular, Elixirr will look to support the URC’s franchise marketing teams by growing and supporting merchandise sales analytics and crowd demographics to deliver better in-bowl retail strategies and experiences. Elixirr will also leverage data to optimise fan engagement strategies online and in stadiums to deliver a seamless end-to-end fan experience.  

Throughout this partnership, the firm will orchestrate an ‘Innovation Think Tank’, working collaboratively with the 16 teams across the league to uncover their biggest challenges, focusing on innovation to tackle the key challenges identified.

With data analytics in sport set to surpass $22bn by 2030, Elixirr is committed to developing the URC’s offering across the business of sport, and the ancillary industries and verticals.

Bob Skinstad, Partner and former Springboks Captain, said:

“Rugby has to be a business first. We are thrilled to begin working alongside a like-minded innovator like the URC. The sports industry is a relatively untapped vertical that provides huge revenue opportunities. Data plays a crucial role in ensuring that fan and commercial strategies align. But data in isolation won’t deliver on ambitious goals. Through our partnership with the URC, we offer more meaningful insights that will have a tangible impact on fan and retail strategies.”

Stephen Newton, CEO and Founder of Elixirr, said:

“The URC aligns perfectly with Elixirr’s driving ethos to challenge the status quo. Our team is competitive by nature, so expanding our sports arm aligns perfectly with our internal drive. With data analytics now a crucial part of the sports sector from a fan engagement and operational efficiencies perspective, we are on the front foot to help clients get the most ROI from their data. We’re implementing better strategies and executing on the technology that will drive more effective commercial revenue for our customers.”

Martin Anayi, CEO of United Rugby Championship, said:

“Growth is always our key priority and innovation will always be at the heart of that ambition for the URC. What is fantastic about Elixirr is that they don’t just want an association with our league, they want to go beyond that and be a key driver to the future success of the URC and our clubs. In the past number of years, we have made data insights a key part of how we operate our business and with Elixirr on board we can drive new growth across the league.”

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