Rugby Union
Top 14 domestic tender invites bidders to add extra season
Broadcasters bidding for domestic rights to French rugby union’s top-tier Top 14 and second-tier Pro D2 will be able to lodge offers across four or five seasons according to the details of the tender announced today (Tuesday).
Premiership Rugby secures blanket coverage in new TNT Sports deal
All matches from England’s Gallagher Premiership will be available domestically on a single broadcaster for the first time after Warner Bros. Discovery finalised a new rights agreement.
LNR goes early again with Top 14 domestic rights
French rugby union’s Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR) will continue its strategy of taking its domestic rights to market well before the expiry of its current agreement by soon launching an invitation t…
Fox Sports to air Premiership Rugby following MLR deal
Premiership Rugby will enjoy heightened exposure in the US market after Fox Sports agreed to air 10 matches, including the semi-finals and final, as part of a deal between the broadcaster and Major League…
No carve-outs as Pitch to handle Lions international rights sales
Pitch International has won more business in rugby union after being appointed to sell international broadcast rights to the British and Irish Lions’ tour of Australia next year.
SA Rugby eyeing sponsorship uplift following ASG investment
South Africa Rugby is hoping that its proposed commercial agreement with US-based private equity firm Ackerley Sports Group (ASG) will enable the governing body to double its sponsorship revenue by the 2027 World Cup.
Sky NZ weighs up exclusivity balance amid rising subscriber costs
Sky New Zealand is considering an increased role for free-to-air coverage of sports events it acquires rights to, with the exclusivity balance to be “part of the conversation” during rugby rights negotiations lat…
SA Rugby to set up commercial unit with investor ASG
South Africa Rugby is to establish a commercial vehicle to manage its media and sponsorship rights after striking an agreement with Ackerley Sports Group (ASG), a new unit of the US investment firm
Ethics clause included in Altrad’s French rugby shirt sponsor renewal
The French Rugby Federation (FFR) has signed a two-and-a-half-year extension to its shirt sponsorship deal with the Altrad Group, although the agreement includes a reciprocal ethics clause amid the ongoing probe into the company’s chairman, Mohed Altrad.
France 2023 sets new audience records, linear TV still dominates
France 2023 was the most-watched Rugby World Cup of all time, governing body World Rugby declared today (Tuesday).
The tournament, won by South Africa, achieved 1
GMF ‘set to end’ FFR sponsorship after nearly four decades
French insurance firm GMF is set to end its sponsorship of the French Rugby Federation (FFR) after 38 years of supporting the governing body.
Royal London to brand Lions women’s shirt, Howden sponsors NZ tour
UK-based life, pensions and investments mutual Royal London has been named as founding partner and front-of-shirt sponsor for the British & Irish Lions women’s team’s first-ever overseas tour.
IHG becomes first hotel partner of Six Nations
IHG Hotels & Resorts has strengthened its position in rugby union, becoming a sponsor of the men's and women's Six Nations
New Zealand Rugby proceeds with capital raise via Silver Lake
The New Zealand Rugby board has agreed to proceed with raising NZ$62.5m (€38.6m/$42.5m) via its existing Silver Lake underwrite, in a move that will increase the private equity company’s interest in NZR Commercial from 5.71 per cent to 7.5 per cent.
BMS replaces Westpac on Queensland Reds jersey
Australian Super Rugby Pacific team Queensland Reds has named global insurance broker BMS Group as its new front-of-jersey sponsor in a four-year agreement, from 2024 to 2027
Second Major League Rugby team folds, placing league in jeopardy
A second Major League Rugby team has folded in as many weeks with the New York Ironworkers, also known as Rugby New York, joining the Toronto Arrows in withdrawing from competition in the 2024 MLR season
RFU posts £5m profit for 2022-23, media rights growth now a ‘significant focus’
Increasing broadcast revenues has been cited as an immediate target for the Rugby Football Union (RFU), with the sector still lagging behind pre-Covid levels, the English governing body has revealed
Rugby Australia finalises A$80m loan, private equity not off the table
Rugby Australia has concluded its capital raise programme, today (Friday) entering into an agreement with Pacific Equity Partners (PEP) that is designed to underpin investment during a crucial upcoming period for the governing body.