IRB used the Microsoft content management system to deliver news, match statistics, live commentary and more. My team at Microsoft Services delivered the solution within time and budget. This was a project that was successful despite the agressive timeframes, the technology challenges and internal barriers. I worked internally within MIcrosoft and the IRB to assist in securing the commitment, selecting and building the project team, and then acting as the active program sponsor during the build to ensure we achieved the outcomes.
Project Summary
With a worldwide television audience of 3.5 billion, the Rugby World Cup was the world’s biggest sporting event in 2003. Using Microsoft technology and within a timeframe of only 14 weeks, the International Rugby Board created a robust and secure online publishing system that met the demands of editorial teams in London and Sydney and millions of rugby fans in 194 countries. The system handled usage levels that on occasions saw four million web pages opened per hour, more than 495 million hits and provided live match updates from stadium sideline to Web site within seconds. Published in English, Spanish and French, the Rugby World Cup site also included live match audio, video replays of matches and an archive of statistics.