Rugby Union
Value of EPCR international rights likely to fall in new deal
Rugby union experts expect the value of international media rights to Europe’s club competitions to decline in any new deal, with a tender covering a new cycle issued this week.
Canal Plus converts extension to Sevens Series deal
French pay-television broadcaster Canal Plus has extended its rights deal for the Sevens Series, the national team competition organised by rugby union’s governing body World Rugby.
World Rugby extends IMG archive partnership
The IMG agency has renewed its long-standing exclusive global archive partnership with World Rugby to include all major events until the end of 2020.
New Zealand Rugby links with Sky to stream All Blacks matches
New Zealand Rugby (NZR) has teamed up with pay-television broadcaster Sky to live stream a number of upcoming national team matches online as pay-per-view events.
BBC, BT Sport to show Scotland’s autumn Tests
UK public-service broadcaster the BBC and pay-television broadcaster BT Sport have acquired live, non-exclusive rights to the Scotland national rugby union team’s 2017 autumn Test matches.
Six Nations signs off long-term NBC deal but suffers fall in Italy
The Six Nations last week secured a long-term deal with media company NBCUniversal in the US, but is understood to have suffered a 40-per-cent fall in the value of its rights in Italy.
NBC Sports adds Six Nations to rugby portfolio
The NBC Sports division of media group NBCUniversal has agreed a multi-year deal to become the new US rights-holder of the Six Nations rugby union championship.
Pro14 finalises lucrative African deal as UK deadline is extended
The Pro14 cross-border rugby union league secured the medium-term future of its new format with the agreement of a lucrative deal across sub-Saharan Africa earlier this month.
RFU to live stream new women’s league
England’s Rugby Football Union has said it will provide live streaming of games from new women’s league the Premier 15s.
Eurosport enhances Pro14 rights deal
International sports broadcaster Eurosport has expanded its rights deal for the Pro14 by adding a further 21 countries to its coverage of the rugby union club competition, which has included two new teams this season.
Amazon linked with move for All Blacks rights
Internet company Amazon is expected to challenge for the domestic rights to competitions organised by the New Zealand Rugby Union and its Sanzaar partners in the southern hemisphere, according to the New Zealand Herald.
SuperSport signs on for Pro14’s new era
SuperSport, the pay-television broadcaster that operates in sub-Saharan Africa, has acquired rights to the Pro14 ahead of the debuts of South African teams the Cheetahs and Southern Kings in the club rugby union competition this weekend.
BT Sport adds rugby union to social media streaming initiative
UK pay-television broadcaster BT Sport has agreed to stream part of its ‘Rugby Tonight’ rugby union magazine programme on social media platforms Facebook and Twitter.
Pro14 CEO open to exclusive pay-television deal
Pro14 chief executive Martin Anayi has said that the European club rugby union competition could seek an exclusive rights partnership with a subscription-focused broadcaster to maximise revenues.
Pro14 banking on expansion leading to greater TV revenue
The expansion of the cross-border Pro12 rugby union competition, following the addition of two South African teams this week, has been driven by three factors: the desire to improve the competitiveness of the league, the aim of bringing its media-rights revenues closer into line with its rivals, and the availability of the Cheetahs and the Southern Kings.
World Rugby details record reach for Women’s RWC
This year’s Women’s Rugby World Cup is set to be the most widely viewed edition of the national team tournament to date, with the event to be broadcast live to more than 110 countries.
BT Sport secures exclusive rights to European club rugby
Pay-television broadcaster BT Sport has secured exclusive rights in the UK and Ireland to European club rugby union’s Champions Cup and Challenge Cup competitions after agreeing a fresh four-season contract.