ѿý
wins Six Nations contract to end of decade
Six
Nations Rugby – in its entirety – will be on the ѿý until the end
of the decade, following an unprecedented new deal announced today
by ѿý Sport and the Six Nations committee.
The
new deal extends the ѿý's current contract, as exclusive broadcaster
of the Six Nations, for a further four years, until 2010.
The
deal covers TV, Radio and Online services.
Following
a 30 per cent rise in average audiences last year, this year's Championship
has seen further audience growth with average UK audiences per match
reaching 4.1m, up from 2.8m two years ago when the competition was
scattered between three broadcasters.
Last
Saturday's Scotland v England game was watched by more than 8 million
viewers - the biggest audience to the Championship in recent times.
The
ѿý and the Six Nations have also further committed to developing
rugby at a grassroots level.
The
ѿý and the ѿý Nations are taking this year's RBS Six Nations
- Give It A Go campaign, to get more rugby played in 100 new schools
in the UK, as a template for further work together.
ѿý
Director of Sport Peter Salmon said: "We promised that we would
use the ѿý's unparalleled radio, TV, online and interactive services
to boost interest in Rugby – and we have delivered.
"We
really value the Six Nations' continued faith and partnership, which
is a model for how we wish to work with rights holders going forward.
"The
ѿý and the Six Nations are committed to building on this rapidly
growing interest in rugby across the British Isles."
Peter
Salmon continued: “This deal, plus our innovative plans for Rugby
League announced in a new deal earlier this week, illustrates the
strength and breadth of ѿý Sport's modern rights portfolio.
"The
ѿý now has the broadest package of free-to-air sports rights of
any terrestrial broadcaster in the world and this jewel of an event
is at its heart.
"The
fiercest annual sporting battles between the best rugby players
in the Northern Hemisphere will be on the ѿý until the end of the
decade."
John
Feehan, Chief Executive of the RBS 6Nations, said: "We are
delighted to continue our successful partnership with the ѿý.
"The
tremendous resources and work the ѿý has put into the RBS 6Nations
Championship this past year has helped to drive the interest in
rugby, for what is truly the greatest annual rugby competition in
the world.
"We
very much look forward to continuing to work together to develop
the competition going forward.”
In
the past six months ѿý has secured:
the
Six Nations, Wimbledon, Moto GP and UK Athletics, all to the
end of the decade;
exclusive
England, home, football internationalsand the cream of the FA Cup
until 2009;
Rugby
League Challenge Cup (and Tri Nations highlights) and US Masters
until 2008;
Premiership
rights for Match of the Day,which returns this August,until 2006.
Related
releases
Challenge
Cup moves to summer (25.02.04)
More
rugby legends join ѿý Six Nations line-up (09.02.04)
ѿý
programmes helping to get kids active during Six Nations (04.02.04)
Six
Nations 2004 - live and exclusive on the ѿý (16.01.04)
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