Pay-tv Move Not Ruled Out For Six Nations
The Six Nations board has indicated for the first time that it could consider offers from pay-television operators for its next UK broadcast rights deal, according to media reports.
The result would mean the championship no longer being shown live on free-to-air television from 2018. The Six Nations has a long-standing relationship with the BBC, whose current rights deal runs until 2017, but the Telegraph reports that things could change.
Six Nations CEO John Feehan told Telegraph Sport that he was prepared to consider all options for the next deal, given how critical the revenue generated by the championship is to the Home Unions.
Under the Listed Events code, the Six Nations Championship, like cricket tests played in England and the Open Championship, is considered as a Category B event. That means it can be shown on pay-TV provided there is sufficient secondary coverage, such as delayed broadcast and highlights.
The BBC’s most recent deal for the exclusive UK broadcast and online coverage of the Six Nations, signed in 2011, is reported to have been worth £160 million for four years from 2014.
However, BT Sport’s emergence as a sports broadcaster alongside Sky Sports has since seen the value of rugby’s broadcasting rights soar, with Premiership Rugby agreeing a deal in 2012 for BT Sport to show domestic and Europe games worth £152 million.
