Can rugby union and the Six Nations survive behind TNT paywall?
For the next two months, up and down the country, you’ll walk into the pub when the Premier League is supposed to be on and instead see Six Nations rugby.
It is testament to the reach of a tournament that, despite football being the national sport, kicks off its rivals for the bumper Saturday and Sunday afternoon slots.
The Six Nations is a special competition, building on the geographical closeness of the home nations with continental neighbours France and Italy.
It sees the island of Ireland compete as one, and fierce rivalries based so much on historical tension and competitive sport.
When you think of the Six Nations, thoughts of England travelling to Croke Park and Italy’s rare but brilliant victories over the big boys come to mind. It is the crown jewel of rugby union.
Six Nations cash in
With that in mind it is understandable that the Six Nations – made up of England, Wales, Ireland, Scotland, France and Italy – want to cash in as much as possible when it comes to broadcast agreements.
France tends to lead the way in terms of financials for rugby, but Ireland and Italy have their own deals, too, to suit their needs.
In the home nations, however, a combination of BBC and ITV – as well as Welsh speaking S4C – shares the UK media rights having beaten off Sky Sports in their private bid in 2015.
But that could be coming to an end, with TNT Sports in pole position to land the rights which are up for grabs after this year’s tournament.
The broadcaster holds Premiership Rugby and Autumn Nations Cup rights already and will own much of the English rugby landscape should it get the Six Nations. Domestic rugby in Wales and Scotland will be on Premier Sports alongside the Champions Cup, while Sky still broadcasts the British and Irish Lions tour and summer internationals.
Major TNT Sports shift
A shift to TNT Sports would be a major moment for a listed event such as the Six Nations.
Though the competition is deemed by DCMS as important to the country’s psyche, it is not classed as a “crown jewel” like the football World Cups or FA Cup Final, for example.
Instead it comes in a secondary band whereby elements are protected but not the entirety of the offering. Other events in this category are Wimbledon matches preceding the finals and the Ryder Cup, which has minimal free-to-air coverage outside of highlights.
TNT Sports can theoretically, then, show all 15 matches behind a paywall and offer extended highlights to FTA in a Match of the Day format. It is unlikely but possible.
And what would that achieve? Well if you jump onto the fence from whichever side you currently reside and look at it matter-of-factly, rugby will lose eyeballs but gain a huge financial advancement from the deal.
But on the other hand rugby has been here before, enjoying a cash injection courtesy of CVC Capital Partners’ near 15 per cent stake in the competition’s commercial arm.
Fragile
A couple of years in and England are making huge losses, the financial stability of Wales is insecure and other nations are hardly competing with international equivalents from some other sports.
The sport is fragile and the cash boost will be welcome from a private deal with the likes of TNT Sports, but the real value in the Six Nations is the exposure it gives rugby to the masses who otherwise wouldn’t bother.
England versus Wales, France against Italy and the Calcutta Cup are more than matches; they’re historic rivalries beyond rugby.
It’s the one thing the sport has that most others fail to achieve. Bigwigs should be careful with any deal that removes the majority of this away from free-to-air.