91�ȱ�

Scottish Rugby has reported a record year off the pitch.

The governing body for rugby union in Scotland posted its highest-ever turnover of £40m last year.

A record total of more than 600,000 people passed through the turnstiles for international, professional and club matches across the season.

Last week Scottish Rugby announced it had secured a major deal with BT, including naming rights for Murrayfield Stadium.

In the past year, it has added Famous Grouse, Unilever, Tennent Caledonian Breweries, BT Sport, Lucozade and Peter Vardy to its list of blue-chip partners.

It was also a good year for Scottish rugby club Glasgow Warriors, which reported average gates up by 29%.

'Terrific strides'

Scottish Rugby's director of commercial operations, Dominic McKay, said: "Terrific strides have been made off the pitch over the course of the past year, culminating in the transformational partnership with BT which will deliver very positively for us for years to come, especially in funding the grassroots game.

"We have also added a number of new 'big-brand' commercial partners supporting various areas of the business, which is a real score given the market in Scotland remains very challenging.

"However, success off the pitch means little without progress on it, so for Glasgow Warriors to become the first Scottish side to play in the RABO PRO12 final while club team and player registration numbers in Scotland continue to show signs of increase is every bit as pleasing."

He added: "Now, with this game-changing investment in our sport from BT, we can grow the game of rugby throughout Scotland, in particular with the establishment of a robust academy structure and to enhance the standard of club rugby."

An economic impact study led by Napier University in 2010-11 found that Scottish Rugby generates about £100m a season for the Scottish economy.