Australian pay-television broadcaster Fox Sports will take up the option of extending a media rights deal for the country’s National Rugby Championship.
The extended deal for the club rugby union third-tier tournament with the Australian Rugby Union, which operates the event, will run for five years, from 2016 to 2020.
The Australian Daily Telegraph newspaper said that Fox Sports had committed to broadcasting the tournament, which might change format over the course of the agreement.
The inaugural edition of the event took place last year, but the newspaper said that there had been fears that Fox Sports might withdraw its backing for the tournament due to modest audience figures.