[shropshireguy28]

Well the Rugby match on ITV just shows why the Six Nations needs to be on free to air TV, to have 2 great matches this afternoon that might in the future been hidden behind a pay wall.

[Rdd]

The rugby authorities want Pay - Tv so I don’t think it will remain fully free to air. Sky would love it I suspect even with their cutting rugby

I don’t think they have ideological favouritism towards pay tv - the gate is not a problem for any Six Nations union, even Italy these days. What they want is the biggest cheque, and if that comes from a free to air broadcaster they’re not going to turn it down.

Unfortunately, Lions aside, Sky are completely out of union now - they take world feed coverage of the Sanzaar stuff that they don’t need to make an effort for and that’s about it. They haven’t done host broadcaster duties in a union game in years. (I think Channel 4 did the “home” game in the last Lions tour IIRC).

Incidentally, RTE are live pitch side from Twickenham Stadium tonight, with Jacqui Hurley, Bernard Jackman, Stephen Ferris and Jamie Heaslip.

[JACKLUFC1998]

I don’t think they have ideological favouritism towards pay tv - the gate is not a problem for any Six Nations union, even Italy these days. What they want is the biggest cheque, and if that comes from a free to air broadcaster they’re not going to turn it down.

Unfortunately, Lions aside, Sky are completely out of union now - they take world feed coverage of the Sanzaar stuff that they don’t need to make an effort for and that’s about it. They haven’t done host broadcaster duties in a union game in years. (I think Channel 4 did the “home” game in the last Lions tour IIRC).

Incidentally, RTE are live pitch side from Twickenham Stadium tonight, with Jacqui Hurley, Bernard Jackman, Stephen Ferris and Jamie Heaslip.

I wonder how long it will be before the rugby Sky show (of either code) will just be the Super League and the NRL?

[RhysJR]

I wonder how long it will be before the rugby Sky show (of either code) will just be the Super League and the NRL?

I don't think that is likely to happen. They have renewed the SANZAAR rights and kept hold of the Lions rights in recent years despite losing or not renewing all of their European rights like England games and the Premiership. Unless someone bids aggresively for the Lions and/or SANZAAR (which have some value but are note really top top tier rights), it looks like Sky are happy to keep hold of them and not give up on union.

On the contary, Sky's attitude to rugby union could easily emmulate their attitude to tennis in recent years, where they went from completely giving up on the sport around six years ago, to now being the biggest tennis rights holder for the UK. I don't see it happenning, but they have u-turned recently on a sport.

[JACKLUFC1998]

I don't think that is likely to happen. They have renewed the SANZAAR rights and kept hold of the Lions rights in recent years despite losing or not renewing all of their European rights like England games and the Premiership. Unless someone bids aggresively for the Lions and/or SANZAAR (which have some value but are note really top top tier rights), it looks like Sky are happy to keep hold of them and not give up on union.

On the contary, Sky's attitude to rugby union could easily emmulate their attitude to tennis in recent years, where they went from completely giving up on the sport around six years ago, to now being the biggest tennis rights holder for the UK. I don't see it happenning, but they have u-turned recently on a sport.

Also let's not forget they also had the rights to rugby league's Championship and the pay TV rights to the Challenge Cup, however of course Viaplay have these now (the BBC still team the FTA broadcaster of the Challenge Cup and 1895 Cup of course).

[RhysJR]

Also let's not forget they also had the rights to rugby league's Championship and the pay TV rights to the Challenge Cup, however of course Viaplay have these now (the BBC still team the FTA broadcaster of the Challenge Cup and 1895 Cup of course).

Viaplay/Premier Sports haven't officialy renewed the Championship rights yet. They pulled out of the sport last year, though the latest speculation from January suggested they could return. The Championship returns on Friday, but no broadcaster is confirmed as of yet.

www.loverugbyleague.com 

Everything we know about the possibility of a Championship TV deal for 2024
With Super League's broadcast future now all-but finalised, attention is be…
  Source: www.loverugbyleague.com

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On the subject of Viaplay/Premier Sports, has anyone seen or heard anything about when they rebrand? I remember seeing one rugby journalist say they were expecting it soon after the Six Nations ended, but I haven't heard or seen any hint of it yet (bar Viaplay Xtra's demise).

[Rdd]

The sale doesn’t appear to have completed yet. Not sure why, they got CCPC approval back in January.

[RhysJR]

No expense spared for the studio set-up fro BBC Wales' Scrum V's trip to the Principality Stadium. Nice for the stadium's screens to be in Scrum V branding. Wouldn't be surprised if those pads are comfier than the studio though

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[lookoutwales]

Look forward to next week’s end-of-tournament show from outside a crowded bar on a wet Chippy Lane (would be rather fitting, if you ask me)

And much like Catrin Heledd, Lauren Jenkins is getting all too used to being the face of Welsh sport post-mortems.

[RhysJR]

Earlier in the day, the world feed caught Wales coach Warren Gatland walking out of his interview with the BBC. From watching the BBC One coverage, it appears like they were waiting to throw live to him at the end of a studio discussion, but by the time they wrapped, Gatland had walked, prompting Gabby Logan to say they had lost Warren. The interview did take place a few minutes later.

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EDIT: What actually happened from reporter Sonja McLaughlan

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