Dublin-based company behind the British & Irish Lions rugby team records revenues of £50m
Ireland's Hugo Keenan who scored the last minute, match winning try for the British & Irish Lions in the second test of the series against Australia last year.
Photograph: David Rogers/Getty ImagesAccounts just filed by British & Irish Lions DAC show it generated a profit of £13 million on income of £50.5 million in the year to the end of September 2025. The profit level was three times that of the next most lucrative tour, which was to New Zealand in 2017. The Lions won last year’s test series against Australia 2-1. The Lions concept is owned by the Irish, English, Scottish and Welsh rugby unions.
The accounts show that they received £15 million from the Lions last year. The company generates the vast bulk of its income in the year of the tour, using the income to fund loss making years. The Lions men’s team tours every four years, rotating between Australia, South Africa and New Zealand. This will change in 2027 with the inaugural women’s tour taking place in New Zealand, introducing a two-year cycle in touring.
Revenue is derived from sponsorship, broadcasting, merchandising, licensing, and ticket sales as part of travel packages and a pre-tour game against Argentina that took place at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. The Lions signed 30 commercial deals, including with Howden, Sky Sports, Canterbury and DHL. Some 11,000 Lions fans travelled to Australia through official tour packages.
In addition, 218,265 Lions jerseys were sold, a record for rugby kit. More than 450,000 people attended the nine Lions tour games. The Lions tour also helped Rugby Australia, the host nation, achieve a profit last year of 71 million Australian dollars . The Lions company’s administrative expenses spiked during 2025 to £37.7 million, from just under £4 million in 2024.
The company employed 18 staff with salaries coming to just under £1.9 million. Commenting on the results, Ben Calveley, chief executive of the British & Irish Lions, said: “Off the pitch, we were pleased to deliver a record-breaking tour financially, reflecting the continued commercial strength and global appeal of the Lions.
“It was the first year in which our tour profit share agreement with the players was in place, and it is hugely satisfying to see the players share in that success alongside Premiership Rugby, the URC and our four shareholder unions. “The very best players continue to see the Lions as the pinnacle of the game, supporters continue to make extraordinary efforts to be part of it, and major brands and organisations continue to recognise the value of partnering with us.
We are also very pleased with the positive impact the tour had for Rugby Australia and the wider Australian economy. ”Pepper to buy ICS Mortgages parent Dilosk in return to providing home loans‘Michael Collins would be pleased’: SF praises Harris for Ireland unification presentationAer Lingus faces clash with unions as 500 jobs to goTeenager who declined cancer treatment has capacity to make decisions on medical care, court rules
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