Former ECB CEO Tom Harrison changed the sport after being announced as the new CEO of Six Nations rugby.
Harrison, 51, stepped down from his cricket role in May 2022. That term was his seven years. Its tenure was defined by Hundred’s run-through. its existence.
A former IMG executive and his ESPN star, Harrison’s most notable achievement was in 2017 when he secured a profitable £1.1 billion rights deal with Sky Sports and the BBC. That’s three times his ECB’s previous broadcasting deal. He was also at the helm of England’s victories in 2017 and his 2019 Women’s and Men’s Over-50 World Cups.
But his time in the role ended in controversy when the ECB was criticized for its handling of the sport’s racism scandal after Azeem Rafiq testified about his treatment in Yorkshire. He also drew personal criticism for accepting a share of the £2.1m bonus pot for senior ECB executives a year after overseeing 62 job cuts due to the Covid-19 pandemic. rice field.
Harrison took up his new role in early March, in the middle of this year’s Six Nations, while incumbent Ben Morel is eyeing a new commercial stature in French football. He encounters the sport in a similar state to English cricket, where grassroots participation is a continuing concern, especially given the controversial new law on tackle height.
“The Six Nations Rugby Championship stands alongside some of the sport’s most prestigious and prestigious competitions,” said Harrison. “They are steeped in history and have a lasting fascination with fans around the world. It’s a huge privilege to join the organisation and play a part in the continued development of this celebrated brand and to serve rugby union more widely.
“There is a real momentum within the organisation, and I am really looking forward to working with the wider team, collaborating with each union and federation, and supporting the enviable roster of broadcast and commercial partners.”
Harrison’s brief will include managing the arrangement between Six Nations Rugby and CVC Capital Partners, the private investment company that paid £365 million for a 14.3% share in the tournament in 2021. The issue of the tournament’s expansion is also on the agenda, amid reported interest from South Africa and Georgia.
“Tom joins Six Nations Rugby at a hugely exciting time for the organisation, the sport, and its fans,” Ronan Dunne, Six Nations Rugby chairman, said. “He brings with him a wealth of experience that is going to be instrumental in helping meet the ambitions and goals of the business, and I am looking forward to working with him to achieve these.”