Businesses are throwing their support behind the announcement of another major sporting event to hit South Australia, when the British and Irish Lions (Rugby) play at Adelaide Oval on 12 July 2025, for the first time in 137 years.
An announcement made today by the Malinauskas government anticipates the event will pull a capacity crowd of 54,000 people, on the same ground the teams played at back in 1888.
The advanced notice of this major event will give South Australian businesses ample opportunity to prepare and capitalise on the occasion which is expected to pull a national and international audience of fans.
Andrew Kay, CEO of the South Australian Business Chamber says The Chamber has been a supporter of an increased calendar of major international events and highlights the long-term benefits global audiences have on our state.
“Much like the flagship events of early 2023, we expect this major rugby event to be an outstanding investment in South Australia, with businesses across the tourism, hospitality and retail sectors all expected to benefit.
“The game will be a drawcard for fans from the UK, Ireland, New Zealand and of course Aussie rugby enthusiasts who will take their time to linger here and enjoy everything South Australia has to offer.
“Importantly, not only do visitors spend money during their visit, but they also return home and tell their friends and families to plan a trip to South Australia, which is key for business confidence in many industries and regions,” Mr Kay added.
The South Australian Business Chamber’s 2023 March quarter Survey of Business Expectations, conducted shortly after the ‘mad March’ period found 77.9% of business operators viewed large-scale events as beneficial to the state.
The survey also determined such large-scale events contributed to an escalation of business confidence during the period.
“Business confidence increased to 96.9 points following our last period of major events, including Adelaide Fringe, Gather Round and Liv Golf. That’s 13.2 points above the national average at the time,” Mr Kay added.
MEDIA CONTACT
Anthony Caldwell, Manager – Marketing, Media, Communications
Phone – 0421 508 075
Email – anthony.caldwell@business-sa.com
