By Clare Tweed and Juliann Cloud
Rumours have emerged of TNT Sports buying the rights to the Six Nations championship next year from BBC and ITV.
This deal could be worth up to £100 million, £10 million more than the current BBC and ITV deal.
Should this deal succeed, it would mean the annual Rugby Union tournament would be no longer be free-to-air.
TNT Sports already host the annual Autumn Nations Series UK broadcast.
ITV reported that England’s opening Six Nations 2025 match against Ireland peaked at 5.2 million viewers.
In England there is a North/South divide between Rugby League and Rugby Union.
In the North of England, Rugby League is more popular as there are only two professional Rugby Union teams – Sale Sharks and Newcastle Falcons.
Concerns from Rugby Union fans in the North of England arose about the potential damage this will have on the popularity in the North.
TNT Sports said: “[The Six Nations’] important partnership with free-to-air television across the UK and Ireland, but [particularly in markets like Wales and Ireland, would make our involvement very challenging.”
John Williams, Press Officer for Liverpool St. Helens Rugby Union club said: “I think most rugby fans would know where to go to watch it.
“In my opinion, I’m not convinced that watching it on television would attract that many new people to Rugby Union.”
Charlie McEwen, ex-Lions COO believes: “There is a core audience that is watching and passionate about rugby, but there’s also tomorrow’s audience.”
City AM, an online news publication, said that they believe there will be a mix of free-to-air and paid-tv.
McEwen said: “If you’re going to say, ‘where do we end up?’ I imagine it’s a blended view.
“It could be BBC [and] ITV, it could be behind the paywall and free-to-air.”
“Featured image used under agreed Alamy License”
