How We Sold Out The Premiership Rugby Final — And Made 1M Gen Z Fans In The Process
This year’s Prem Rugby Final sold out faster than any in history. A record.
But the real story wasn’t just ticket sales. It was about how we managed to connect with over a million Gen Z fans on the way there - something rugby has struggled with in the past.
It wasn’t perfect from the start. We had to rethink how we showed up, change habits, and learn quickly. Here’s what worked, and what we’ll take forward.
THE CHALLENGE
Rugby’s traditional marketing toolkit leans on TV ads, print, and polished hero pieces. That’s fine for older fans, but for Gen Z it barely registers. They live on TikTok and Instagram (especially reels) predominantly. And if you’re not showing up there in a way that feels native, you’re invisible.
At the start of the season, most of our social content was cross-posted from elsewhere. It ticked the box, but it wasn’t making any impact. We realised if we carried on like that, we’d miss an entire generation.
THE SHIFT
The biggest change wasn’t budget or resources. It was mindset.
Instead of asking, “How do we cut this down for social?” we started asking, “What would actually work on social first?” That simple switch unlocked everything else.
TikTok became a priority, not an afterthought
We stopped slicing down TV spots and started making content that felt like it belonged on TikTok—short, scrappy, playful, creator-style. Later in the season, we even tailored ad campaigns specifically for TikTok rather than just pushing the same creative everywhere. That unlocked real conversations, not just impressions.
Trends done with purpose
We didn’t jump on every meme going. We picked the trends that actually made sense for rugby, the players, or the culture around the game. It wasn’t about chasing quick views, it was about showing fans we were paying attention to their world. That relevance built trust over time, so by the time the Final came around, we weren’t outsiders shouting about tickets. We were already in the conversation.
PLAYER-FIRST STORYTELLING
This was a big one. Gen Z cares more about people than organisations. They connect with the personalities and narratives of players, not the sport in the abstract. The content that landed hardest always had players front and centre - showing who they are, not just what they can do on the pitch. Once we leaned into that, everything felt more relatable, more human. People build connections with people.
Speed over polish
Some of our best posts weren’t the slickest. They worked because they landed in the moment. With Gen Z, being part of what’s happening right now beats a perfect edit that drops three days later.
Social-first campaigns
And once we made social the lead channel, the whole feel of our campaigns shifted. Graphics were built to stop thumbs mid-scroll. Copy was written to start conversations, not just announce. It made the work sharper, funnier, and easier to share. That created momentum around the Final well before tickets even became the focus.
THE RESULT
That shift paid off. The Final became the fastest-ever sell-out in Prem Rugby history.
But more importantly, it helped rugby show up in front of a generation that the sport has sometimes struggled to reach. Over a million Gen Z fans engaged with the journey, not just the game.
WHAT WE LEARNT
The biggest lesson? Marketing to Gen Z isn’t about shouting louder. It’s about meeting them where they are, respecting their culture, and putting people (not products) at the heart of the story.
That’s how you sell out a stadium. And more importantly, that’s how you make sure the next generation sees themselves in the sport.
Written by Hannah Setter