Fox Sports set to seal ARU rights extension

Australian pay-television broadcaster Fox Sports is set to conclude an extension to its rights deal with the Australian Rugby Union in the next fortnight, according to the Australian Financial Review newspaper.

Under the current deal, which is due to expire in 2016, Fox Sport shows Australian national team games with its contract worth A$15m (€10.5m/$13m) per year to the ARU.

The Financial Review said the new deal will be struck on slightly improved terms, on the proviso that the extra revenue is dedicated towards aiding the financial health of rugby union in Australia.

The newspaper added that Fox is “almost certainly” set to continue to sublicense free-to-air rights to commercial broadcaster Ten.