Rugby International Marketing, the for-profit army of USA Rugby, has sold a minority interest in the company to the Rugby Football Union, England’s rugby governing body.

The RFU investment, value undisclosed but rumored to be “significant” according to one source, will allow RIM to move forward on a number of commercial fronts. Among them will be the development of the 2018 7s Rugby World Cup as a major commercial enterprise, and also to promote and develop other rugby events, including international events, around the country.

But in addition to all that, RIM is looking to launch a digital channel, showing live and archived rugby games, along with other rugby content. The internet channel will run 24 hours a day. The channel would be an Over-the-Top (OTT) provider, akin to Hulu or Netflix.

RIM is also looking into putting together plans for a pro league, and other business ventures related to rugby.

USA Rugby remains the majority shareholder in Rugby International Marketing, but the RFU investment is designed to be a profit-maker for the RFU as well as USA Rugby. The RFU wants a piece of the USA market, should it continue to grow. USA Rugby vice chairman Will Chang works closely with USA Rugby CEO Nigel Melville on the progress of RIM. Melville told Goff Rugby Report that USA Rugby will always have at least a 51% stake in RIM.

What this investment from the RFU means isn’t fully clear, but it does appear to give RIM substantial liquidity, allowing the organization to speed up its plans for the OTT Channel.