ABSTRACT
The New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) expects the British and Irish Lions rugby tour of New Zealand in 2005 to be the biggest sports event that New Zealand has ever hosted. This is a significant claim given that New Zealand has hosted the Commonwealth Games (Christchurch 1974 and Auckland 1990), America's Cup (Auckland 1995 and 2000) and co-hosted (with Australia) the 1987 Rugby and 1992 Cricket world cups. It is also significant given that treating regular season or sport team tours as an 'event' is a recent occurrence. The New Zealand Rugby Union anticipates that 20,000 rugby supporters from England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland will travel in support of the Lions on their five-week tour of New Zealand, a figure similar to the number of fans who followed the Lions on tour in Australia in 2001 [2]
