Rugby Union
Pro14 closing in on rights announcement as BBC admits defeat
The Pro14 cross-border rugby union league has said it is concluding talks over its next set of rights in the UK and Ireland, as the Welsh division of public-service broadcaster the BBC said it has been outbid in its effort to retain live coverage.
Six Nations value takes a hit in Asia as RugbyPass secures rights
The annual value of Six Nations media rights in Asia has been cut almost in half following a new deal with OTT service RugbyPass.
RugbyPass extends rights to Australian event
OTT platform RugbyPass has extended its deal for exclusive coverage of the Brisbane Global Rugby Tens event across its 23 Asian territories.
DAZN picks up Six Nations rights in Canada
DAZN, the OTT service operated by digital sports media company Perform, has acquired exclusive rights in Canada to the Six Nations rugby union tournament.
Six Nations to go OTT in Asia with RugbyPass
OTT platform RugbyPass has acquired exclusive rights across Asia for the Six Nations international rugby union tournament.
Discovery remains home of Six Nations in Italy
US media company Discovery Communications has extended its deal for exclusive Italian rights to the Six Nations national team rugby union tournament.
Eir Sport set to replace Sky as Pro14 partner – report
Irish pay-television broadcaster Eir Sport is set to oust rival Sky Sports as the domestic rights-holder of club rugby union competition the Pro14, according to The42 website.
Premiership Rugby claims first with Chinese rights deal
Chinese free-to-air sports broadcaster CCTV5 Plus has acquired rights to the English Premiership club rugby union competition.
TF1 buys 2019 World Cup rights after solving scheduling troubles
French commercial broadcaster TF1 has acquired rights to the 2019 Rugby World Cup after taking up an option in its deal for the 2015 tournament, TV Sports Markets understands.
RTÉ forced to pay IRFU increase after loss of Six Nations rights
The Irish Rugby Football Union roughly doubled the value of domestic rights to Ireland autumn internationals in a deal with public-service broadcaster RTÉ, and is still to sell rights in the UK.
RFU keen to maintain balance
The Rugby Football Union is keen to maintain a balance in offering coverage of the England national rugby union team via free-to-air and pay-television platforms, according to chief executive Steve Brown.
Canada Rugby seals CBC rights deal
Canadian public-service broadcaster CBC has agreed a multi-year rights partnership with the Rugby Canada national governing body.
Varsity Match signs live streaming deal
UK-based online news and entertainment company Unilad has agreed a deal to stream live coverage of the 2017 Varsity Match rugby union series between the universities of Cambridge and Oxford in the UK.
RTÉ retains rights to Ireland’s autumn internationals
Irish public-service broadcaster RTÉ has renewed a deal for rights to Ireland’s autumn international rugby union fixtures.
Spark, TVNZ linked with joint bid for New Zealand rugby rights
New Zealand public-service broadcaster TVNZ and telecommunications company Spark have been linked with a possible joint bid for the domestic rights to games organised by New Zealand Rugby, the governing body of rugby union in the country.
Premiership Rugby expands into Sweden with C More
Swedish pay-television broadcaster C More Entertainment has agreed a deal to show live coverage of Premiership Rugby, England’s top division of club rugby union, in the Scandinavian country for the first time.
SBS retains Australian tour rights amid minimal free-to-air interest
Australian public-service broadcaster SBS has renewed its deal for non-exclusive rights to the national rugby union team’s ongoing matches for roughly the same annual fee.
EPCR launches international rights tender
European Professional Club Rugby, the governing body for club rugby union in Europe, has launched a tender process for the international broadcast rights to its Champions Cup and Challenge Cup competitions.