UK TV rights

[Tony Manx]

To be announced this week, BBC and ITV to share 6N games with ITV to get all home matches of England, Ireland and Italy!!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/ru...years-to-ITV-as-a-result-of-sharing-deal.html

 

[Tony Manx]

Oops wrong place.....can mods move to General rugby please? Apologies!!

 

[RedruthRFC]

There's a similar article on the BBC Rugby homepage, so it seems that this is all official now.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Pretty gutted TBH - but at least the worst case scenario of it leaving terrestrial has been avoided... that would have been an unmitigated disaster.

 

[ncurd]

Can't we just have it that ITV get all matches that don't involve England....I'd be happy with that....

TBH hopefully it means ITV will actually learn how to do Rugby coverage now

 

[ratsapprentice]

TBH hopefully it means ITV will actually learn how to do Rugby coverage now

That is the one upside - they will have more practice at it.

 

[Jerry Blue]

I'm just glad the Welsh home games are still on the BBC! and that the others are on terrestrial TV so anyone can watch it and ITV will get better. Maybe they'll employ Brian Moore for the English home games!

 

[BRSTLDRGN]

Hope they don't go down the Sky/BBC route and have clashing games. Keep the schedule the same, only no more Fridays.

 

[Jerry Blue]

Think they will keep the scheduling the same as that way there will be no clashes between the TV channels. Though it might mean on certain weekends the BBC could do rugby then FA cup or other way round. Hopefully they won't put rugby up against the FA cup on different channels at the same time.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Will be interesting to see if this leads to some sharing of the Prem coverage between BT/ITV...

 

[chippieolamus]

Will be interesting to see if this leads to some sharing of the Prem coverage between BT/ITV...

Why would this change BT's exclusive Prem coverage?

 

[ratsapprentice]

Because the PRL (and some club owners individually) have expressed an interest in getting some FTA tv coverage, and because BT are "lending" some of their staff to ITV for the RWC.

 

[Jerry Blue]

One Aviva game a week would be ideal for ITV with some advertising for BT thrown in as well? And ITV can use BT Sports rugby presenters for the Six Nations as well as the rugby world cup.

 

[psychic duck]

Jim Rosenthal can **** off.

 

[Tony Manx]

Don't rule out completely a BT/BBC deal either as the Clare BaldingShow demonstrates! Not saying it will happen but politically, with the Regulator OFCOM, it may work for BT who are under attack over their lack of investment in broadband and attack on Sky's TV market share in retaliation!

 

[ratsapprentice]

Absolutely, Tony - I think BT would be up for it.

 

[goodNumber10]

Because the PRL (and some club owners individually) have expressed an interest in getting some FTA tv coverage, and because BT are "lending" some of their staff to ITV for the RWC.

sky lent them presenters for the previous 2 as well didn't they?

Would be good if there was better terrestrial coverage.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Don't recall it - they normally use their football guys and former players.

 

[goodNumber10]

Stuart Barnes, Miles harrison and Will Greenwood were all involved int he 2007, and 2011 world cups...

 

[ratsapprentice]

That's irrelevant anyway - because afaik there wasn't any sort of open yearning for FTA from PRL at the time.