The Guinness Six Nations will remain on Free To Air TV in Britain for the next four years after a deal was signed with the BBC and ITV going into the weekend.
Deals for coverage in Ireland, France, and Italy will be concluded shortly after all the current deals expire with this year’s Championship.
With the British deal finalised, though, it would appear almost certain that a similar approach to Free To Air coverage will be secured here, with the likelihood being another shared deal between RTÉ and Virgin Media.
That will produce less hard cash than an alternative Pay Per View Deal, which becomes more important after the more than €5 million drop in prize money Ireland will suffer, coming third in this year’s championship.
From a sponsorship and fan engagement perspective, though, that short-term revenue loss should be more than made up for.
The deal for England, Scotland and Wales coverage will last until 2029.
ITV will show ten fixtures per year over the next four years, including every England fixture in each edition of the Championship. The BBC will deliver coverage of five Guinness Men’s Six Nations fixtures per year, including every Scotland and Wales home match, except when each nation is hosting England when the fixture will be broadcast on ITV.
As a longstanding supporter of women’s rugby, the BBC has also secured the media rights to every fixture of the Guinness Women’s Six Nations in the UK until 2029, with coverage spanning TV and iPlayer.
Similarly, the U20 Six Nations will be available on BBC platforms for four more years. The BBC will also hold the audio rights for the Men’s, Women’s and U20s Championships, meaning fans will be able to enjoy extensive international rugby coverage across radio, BBC Sounds and online platforms.
“The significance of these new and innovative free-to-air partnerships for the Six Nations cannot be overstated,” said Six Nations Rugby CEO Tom Harrison.
“By strengthening rugby’s relationships with ITV and the BBC, the sport can continue to give as many fans as possible in the UK access to enjoy live coverage of the Six Nations.”
“These partnerships allow us to maximise audience reach whilst generating critical revenue for the game, enabling each Union and Federation to protect and grow the sport in their country in the coming years.”
“The increased commitment from the free-to-air sector is a testament to the appeal and status of our iconic Championships. The commercial environment in which rugby is operating is extremely challenging and the battle for audience attention has never been greater, but the Six Nations stands alongside the greatest occasions in world sport, which is reflected by these partnerships.”
“Going into another incredible conclusion to the Men’s Championship, all parties are incredibly excited to build on this momentum and audience growth to deliver the best possible experience for fans over the next four years.”
Further Reading for Sport for Business Members: Could Six Nations Be Going Behind a Paywall?
SPORT FOR BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE
Last month we wrote that “Moving to a Pay TV model might attract a premium of 10 or maybe 20 per cent on previous deals, which would be welcomed by the sport but at what cost?” It is most likely that we will not now have to do the sums.
WHAT’S UP NEXT?
The Irish, French and Italian Rights Deals have yet to be finalised but are expected to be shortly.
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