Global consulting firm Elixirr and the Vodacom United Rugby Championship have joined forces in a move the two parties hope will set a new benchmark for data partnerships in the rugby industry.
Elixirr is now the new ‘Official Data Partner’ of the URC and plans to ensure its impact goes beyond game data and performance insights.
Elixirr will offer its full range of consultancy services to the league and its clubs, in a bid to drive stronger fan engagement and enhance the Vodacom URC as a whole.
“Rugby has to embrace a business-first approach,” said Bob Skinstad, Partner at Elixirr and former Springbok captain. “We are thrilled to begin working alongside a like-minded innovator like the Vodacom United Rugby Championship. 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 Vodacom URC we offer more meaningful insights that will have a tangible impact on fan and retail strategies.”
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Additionally, through the support of Elixirr and Oval Insights, fans, media and broadcasters will have access to new forms of statistical and insight-led content that identifies the key players and match-winning tactics from the Vodacom URC across every round.
“The Vodacom URC aligns perfectly with Elixirr’s driving ethos to challenge the status quo,” said Stephen Newton, CEO and founder of Elixirr. “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.”
Elixirr will also look to support club marketing teams around the Vodacom URC by growing and supporting merchandise sales analytics and crowd demographics to deliver better retail strategies and experiences. Crowd flow analysis will also ensure that stadium crowd management strategies are safer.
“Growth is always our key priority and innovation will always be at the heart of that ambition for the Vodacom URC,” said Martin Anayi, CEO of United Rugby Championship. “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 Vodacom 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.”
Throughout this partnership, Elixirr says it 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.