SA stands to lose R6 billion if Lions tour is cancelled

With the hopes of the British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa going ahead as scheduled waning more each day, the projected financial loss will leave a bitter taste in many South African mouths.

There is , as yet, no indication that the Covid-19 situation in South Africa will have alleviated appropriately for a tour to be hosted in the traditional manner, which will spell trying times for the hospitality industry.

Now, in a new development, a report yesterday indicated that the UK Treasury is willing to back a “home tour” of the Lions against the Springboks, making the option of playing the series in Britain more attractive.

“A bid by the British and Irish Lions for financial guarantees from the government for a home series against South Africa has won the backing from ministers who think that it could be a uniting force for the United Kingdom now that Scottish independence is back on the political agenda‚” the Times reported.

Mark Alexander, SA Rugby president, has indicated that South Africa stands to lose around R6 billion (thorough direct and indirect spending) should the tour not be played on her shores.

SWB Sports head Steve Braham said:

“There are businesses that will go belly up‚” he predicted.

“If we don’t go belly up, we’d still have to ask the question whether it is worth keeping our doors open because of what is happening after the Lions tour?

“We are not going to recover from it because the next event may be the Proteas vs Pakistan‚ or something sparkling like that.

“There is a huge amount of work that has gone in over the last two‚ three years.

“We’ve got deposits on hotels‚ hospitality venues. The people who sells flags and other items outside the ground‚ the people who make hamburgers and so on will all be negatively affected.”

Braham does not look favourably on the perceived attitude of the Lions to the predicament South Africa faces.

“They look at South Africa thinking they can dictate terms and kick it into the dirt,” he said.