The French division of pan-European sports broadcaster Eurosport, pay-television broadcaster Canal Plus and public-service broadcaster France Télévisions have acquired rights to domestic rugby union league the Pro D2 under five-year deals.
The agreements run from the 2015-16 to 2019-20 seasons of the second-tier club competition. France Télévisions will exploit the rights through its France 3 channel.
The deals have been signed with the Ligue National de Rugby (LNR), the operator of the league, which said the three broadcasters will provide enhanced exposure for the Pro D2, giving coverage a “new dimension.”
The LNR added that it has secured a six-fold increase in the value of the rights. The total fees across the five seasons will be €31m ($32.8m), compared to the €1m per season the Pro D2 secured from its current deal spanning the 2011-12 to 2014-15 campaigns.