Streaming, 8K and AR: How bringing production in-house will transform Rugby World Cup 2019

The 2019 Rugby World Cup is the ninth edition of the tournament, but it is the first to be staged outside the sport’s traditional strongholds in Europe and the Southern Hemisphere.

Although hosts Japan have played rugby union for more than 100 years, the country is still classified as a ‘tier two’ nation by the sports global governing body, World Rugby.

The decision to bring the showpiece event to the country was motivated by a desire to grow the sport – both in Japan and beyond. Attracting interest in the host nation been essential to generating ticket sales, which have been encouraging. Indeed, 0.6% of the Japanese population, or 800,00 people, are expected to attend at least one game.

However, there is also a need to find new audiences among those who will never go to a rugby game. That’s where content – both through television..