Rugby Union
UK government rejects Six Nations free-to-air proposal
The UK government has rejected calls from the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Committee for rugby union’s Six Nations tournament to be promoted to the Group A category of listed sports events r…
Rugby Australia suspends broadcast rights negotiations
Rugby Australia has suspended talks over its next broadcast rights deal, as chief executive Raelene Castle today (Tuesday) conceded that the rugby union governing body may need to approach the government…
Joint Six Nations bids permitted as DCMS Committee makes listed events request
The UK’s Committee for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has called for rugby union’s Six Nations to be included in the ‘Category A’ list of sports events that must be shown on free-to-air televis…
Optus ‘begins production talks’ ahead of Rugby Australia bid deadline
Telecoms operator Optus is considered the leading candidate to acquire pay-television rights in Rugby Australia’s ongoing invitation to tender process, and has begun to seek out production companies, r…
Six Nations refuses to rule out pay-TV future
Six Nations Rugby, organising body of the annual national team tournament, has refused to rule out the possibility that live rights to the championship could go behind a paywall against the backdrop of…
M6 to bid for 2023 Rugby World Cup rights
French commercial broadcaster M6 has said it will bid for broadcast rights in the host nation for the 2023 Rugby World Cup
Rugby Australia takes ‘whole of rugby’ rights package to market
Rugby Australia has today (Friday) gone to market with its media-rights package for the 2021-2025 period and expects to conclude deals by mid-March
Rugby Australia chief expects Foxtel participation in tender
Rugby Australia chief executive Raelene Castle expects pay-television operator Foxtel to participate in its forthcoming invitation to tender process amid reports that the broadcaster is ready to end its…
Six Nations member unions centralise autumn international TV rights
The member unions of the Six Nations rugby union tournament have agreed to pool their media rights, including autumn internationals and other test matches, ahead of the anticipated investment from CVC…
Foxtel ‘to be invited to bid’ in Rugby Australia rights auction
Rugby Australia will reportedly commence a process to secure a new broadcast rights contract this week, with pay-television operator Foxtel said to be among those who will be approached
Canal Plus and LNR reschedule main Top 14 matches
French pay-television broadcaster Canal Plus has agreed with the Ligue Nationale de Rugby to change the timeslots from next season for the top two matches each week in the domestic Top 14 rugby union league
Disagreement over media rights stalls CVC’s £300m Six Nations deal
CVC’s attempts to acquire a stake in the Six Nations are reportedly being held up by a disagreement over the rugby championship's media rights.
Fox Sports ‘ready to walk away’ from Rugby Australia rights
Fox Sports, the Australian pay-television broadcaster, is ready to end its longstanding coverage of Australian rugby union as Rugby Australia’s rights from 2021 onwards come to market, it has been claimed.
French rugby’s LNR in market for head of media rights
France's Ligue Nationale de Rugby has begun a search for head of broadcast rights and content
Rugby Australia calls on ex-Foxtel execs ahead of rights tender
Rugby Australia has engaged the Media Rights Value organisation to help with negotiations for its next domestic rights contract amid reports that pay-television broadcaster Foxtel may end its long-running…
SuperSport close to Sanzaar, Saru rugby renewals in South Africa
South African pay-television broadcaster Supersport is finalising deals to renew its rights for Sanzaar and South African Rugby Union properties for the 2021-25 cycle, SportBusiness Media understands.
Canal Plus to launch Premier League and Top 14 digital channels
French pay-TV broadcaster Canal Plus is to launch dedicated digital channels to showcase its coverage of the English Premier League and French rugby union’s Top 14.
Australia’s Super Rugby teams “broke” unless media revenue increases
Roger Davis, the chairman of Super Rugby team the NSW Waratahs, has warned that the competition's Australian teams are in financial peril unless their upcoming domestic media rights deal delivers a revenue…