Italian digital sports channel Sportitalia has been appointed by Federazione Italiana Rugby, rugby union’s governing body in Italy, to serve as the host broadcaster for the Pro12 tournament’s games in the country.
Sportitalia will produce and broadcast live all 22 matches that are scheduled to take place in Italy and will also show the play-offs and the final live.
The channel will also receive host feeds for the tournament’s matches involving Italian teams playing overseas from the Pro12’s other broadcast partners in Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
UK public-service broadcaster the BBC is serving as a Pro12 host broadcaster through BBC Northern Ireland in Ireland, BBC Wales in Wales and BBC Alba in Scotland. In Ireland, public-service broadcaster RTÉ and Irish-language channel TG4 will also serve as host broadcasters, while Welsh-language channel S4C is also serving as host broadcaster in Wales.
Benetton Treviso and newly-founded Parma-based Zebre will be Italy’s representatives in the 12-team Pro12 this coming season, with teams from Ireland, Scotland and Wales also competing. The campaign will get underway on August 31 and conclude in May.