British and Irish Lions players to take home a share of next year’s tour profits thanks to new landmark agreement

Players involved in next year's tour will be the first to reap huge financial rewards.

The new financial setup will see tour profits shared with its players for the first time, and will introduce increased collaboration between them and the Lions organisation, particularly around scheduling and preparation. 

Players will also engage in a debrief session after the Tour to review all aspects of it in detail with the aim of improving future tours.

A statement on the Lions Rugby website states: "Working together, they (the organisation) will create the optimum schedule to give the players the best chance to prepare for a successful Tour.

It continued: "Alongside on-the-pitch-preparation, the new agreement will see The British & Irish Lions support players off the pitch through a range of activity and initiatives.

"Each Lions player will be provided with personally tailored high-quality digital content daily during the Tour and will also be provided with content post-Tour for use on their own personal social media channels."

Ben Calveley, British & Irish Lions CEO, said: "We know that players love playing for the Lions, and it is the pinnacle of their professional careers, and this landmark agreement highlights how they are at the centre of our thinking.

"I would like to thank Simon Keogh of Rugby Players Ireland who acted on behalf of all the Unions from a player representative perspective and was integral in bringing all of this together. I would also like to thank our Unions who each played a key role in the development of this agreement which crucially reflects the value we place on our players.

"This announcement reflects the Lions integral role within an aligned professional rugby ecosystem and follows the announcement of our strategic partnership with Premiership Rugby and United Rugby Championship, and the joint venture with Rugby Australia for next year’s Tour."

Peter O’Mahony, representative for the Ireland faction of the Lions squad, said: "This agreement recognises the role players play across the Lions Tour, both on and off the field. It’s great to see a commitment to ensuring everyone benefits from the success of each Tour."

The Lions reportedly made an £8.2m profit in the year of their tour to South Africa in 2021.

That tour was also backed by a record 25 commercial deals.