Advertisement
Sam Agars

Boots and all | Could having a match of the week streamed across Asia help put Hong Kong rugby on the map?

Growing online rugby viewing service Rugby Pass will soon begin covering Hong Kong Premiership games

Reading Time:3 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
Brad Raper drives forward for HKCC in the HKRU Premiership, which will be shown on Rugby Pass later this month. Photos: HKRU

In the coming weeks the naming rights sponsor of the Hong Kong Rugby Union Premiership – rugbypass.com – will begin covering one game a week live.

Advertisement

Rugby Pass services 23 countries throughout Asia and hopes to expand its reach into Europe as early as February of next year.

To have exposure on such a platform is certainly a great result for a league that has only had the odd big match streamed on the likes of YouTube and the Hong Kong Rugby Union (HKRU) website in the past.

But while on the surface everything is very positive, when stripped back the question still arises – just what sort of impact will it have on rugby in Hong Kong?

What sort of results can be expected both in the short term as far as people watching it and in the long term in the league becoming more recognised on a world scale and, as a result, stronger?

Advertisement
The HKRU hopes the added exposure created by the Rugby Pass coverage will attract more players like former England rugby international Olly Barkley.
The HKRU hopes the added exposure created by the Rugby Pass coverage will attract more players like former England rugby international Olly Barkley.
loading
Advertisement