TNT Sports has acquired the UK broadcasting rights for the new Rugby Nations Championship, a competition featuring the world's top 12 teams. The deal comes amid a shifting landscape in sports broadcasting, with streaming giants like Netflix and Amazon challenging traditional satellite and cable providers.
The Nations Championship will run in the second half of the year, adding to TNT's rugby portfolio after it lost the autumn internationals to ITV. ITV, which already holds the Rugby World Cup rights, also secured 10 Six Nations matches for the BBC's five.
In response to increased competition, TNT has increased its investment in the Premiership rugby union, raising its annual deal from £33 million to £40 million for five years. This follows a 35% growth in Premiership audiences earlier this season, despite losing European club rugby to Premier Sports.
Meanwhile, rugby league's Super League is negotiating a new rights deal with Sky, the BBC, and potentially DAZN. RL Commercial hopes for a marginal increase on the current £21 million per year from Sky, with additional games on the BBC and DAZN potentially bringing total revenue closer to £30 million annually.
The BBC's coverage of Super League has been sporadic, with games spread across different slots and channels, including iPlayer. This contrasts with the NFL's consistent scheduling on free-to-air TV in the UK, which attracted more live action than club rugby union and league combined last year.
