Bt Announces Premiership Rugby Partnership
Premiership Rugby has announced a new four-year broadcasting agreement with BT, worth a reported £152m, with the telecoms firm securing exclusive live broadcast rights to Aviva Premier Rugby and the JP Morgan Asset Management Sevens from the 2013/14 season.
From 2014/15 the company will also have the exclusive rights to matches played by Premiership clubs in any future European competitions, for three years.
The deal is one of the biggest agreements in the history of club rugby.
Live Aviva Premiership matches are currently split between BSkyB and ESPN, and under the new agreement, BT will have live broadcast rights to up to 69 matches a season.
Mark McCafferty, chief executive of Premiership Rugby, said: ‘This is a game-changing agreement and will deliver a service that I know our club supporters will enjoy.’
As well as showing the live games, BT will assist clubs in upgrading the technical infrastructure at their stadia.
Commenting on the partnership, Andrea Radrizzani, Group CEO of MP & Silva – the international sports rights company – said: ‘BT represents a modern multi-platform to offer top sports content and their new deal with Premier Rugby is yet another demonstration of how fans will increasingly be watching sport through new digital media and the rise of internet driven viewing.’
‘The agreement also highlights the strength and attractiveness of sport broadcasting to media organisations, with BT a leading example of the significant number of new entrants we are seeing in the market.’
