TNT Sports encouraged by Autumn Nations series viewing figures as Six Nations rights decision looms

TNT Sports took over the rights to the Autumn Nations Series this year (TNT Sports)

TNT Sports took over the rights to the Autumn Nations Series this year (TNT Sports)

November’s international rugby matches have attracted strong interest across Europe, with governing body leaders and broadcasters reportedly pleased with the viewing figures.

TNT Sports, in its first year as the UK’s broadcaster of the Autumn Nations Series after taking over from Amazon, would be particularly encouraged by the growing week-on-week interest in its first significant and sustained involvement in the international rugby. .

England’s clash with South Africa last weekend set a new rugby audience record for the channel, formerly BT Sport, with interest in line with major Premier League and League matches. Champions. Viewing figures during the fall increased week by week, with an 11 percent increase in interest between the second and third days. Sixty percent of TNT viewers watched more than one match last weekend, while in France last week’s encounter between Fabien Galthie’s team and the All Blacks was viewed by 7, 3 million people on average on TF1.

Premiership viewership has also increased over the past two seasons, with TNT’s live-to-live strategy moving straight from coverage of the Saturday lunchtime Premier League match to the rugby match afterwards. -noon having a significant impact. This continued in the autumn international matches: almost half of the England v New Zealand crowd also watched the previous match between Newcastle and Arsenal beforehand. This crossover is seen as important as rugby seeks to attract new fans to the sport.

TNT Sports is the UK broadcaster of the Autumn Nations Series (TNT Sports)TNT Sports is the UK broadcaster of the Autumn Nations Series (TNT Sports)

TNT Sports is the UK broadcaster of the Autumn Nations Series (TNT Sports)

TNT’s involvement in international rugby comes at an intriguing time in the rights space. 2025 is the final year of the existing joint agreement between the BBC and ITV to broadcast the men’s Six Nations in the UK. The competition’s terrestrial future appears to be uncertain, with outgoing BBC Sport director Barbara Slater warning last year that the broadcaster could be kicked out of the competition.

A formal tender process is expected to open early next year, with insiders insisting all options are on the table. Six Nations chief executive Tom Harrison has a strong background in television rights, and reports that the former England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) CEO is set to return to cricket would be a far cry from reality.

Executives also hope to be able to commercialize the rights to the new “Nations Cup” competition by the end of this year or at the latest in the first quarter of 2025. The revamped international competition will feature 12 of the world’s best nations, and the inaugural final will take place in London in November 2026.

Britain's Six Nations TV deal expires next year (REUTERS)Britain's Six Nations TV deal expires next year (REUTERS)

Britain’s Six Nations TV deal expires next year (REUTERS)

At a time when many unions are struggling financially, there is hope that the tournament will lead to increased revenue from broadcast rights for the sport, even if it takes time to properly introduce a new competition to broadcasters.

TNT Sports renewed its deal to broadcast every Gallagher Premiership match earlier this year on terms believed to be reduced. Premier Sports, however, has secured the rights to the Champions Cup, with an exclusive UK deal meaning matches in the European competition will no longer be shown on free-to-air English television.

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