ITV will broadcast in-game commercials for the first time during the Six Nations Championship opener between France and Ireland on Thursday night. The broadcaster's new rights deal allows two split-screen adverts before a scrum is set in each half of every match, according to the Guardian.
The ads will fill the right half of the screen for about 20 seconds, while live action continues on the left. ITV has secured deals with two major brands for the trial, a technique already used in the US and trialled by RTE in Ireland.
If successful, ITV may extend in-game advertising to its World Cup coverage this summer, where three-minute water breaks in each half could host commercials. The network is paying over two-thirds of the £63m-a-year Six Nations deal, with advertising crucial to recoup costs.
ITV has also agreed to pay £80m annually for exclusive rights to the new Nations Championship, featuring the Six Nations and southern hemisphere teams. The investment aims to attract male ABC1 viewers, a key demographic for advertisers.
The Six Nations starts on a Thursday for the first time, at ITV's request to avoid clashes, with the opening ceremony in Milan on Friday. The championship is shortened to six weeks this year, with three consecutive fixtures, a rest week, and two final rounds.
