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May 8 '17, 12:55AM
It requires only a cursory glance at the Six Nations viewing figures to understand why Premiership Rugby’s deal with Channel 5 to broadcast five matches a season on terrestrial TV makes obvious sense. A combined 11 million tuned in for the two most popular matches on the BBC and ITV and if it is clearly fanciful to suggest similar numbers will do so for club competitions, there is a sizeable potential audience. A certain type of casual rugby fan in need of a little push. The post-Six Nations drop-off is an annual problem for rugby union and while there are many factors in play – BBC Wales’s promotional Jarell Martin Youth Jersey anti-English video during this year’s competition was in poor taste but renewing national rivalries on a yearly basis is evidently part of the tournament’s appeal – live English club rugby screened on free-to-air TV for the first time next season is a significant step. The fact it is Channel 5 which will simulcast the matches – at the same time as BT Sport which only stands to gain from the four-year deal worth more than £1m – is also relevant. Its successful bid, http://www.authenticgrizzliestore.com/Lorenzen_Wright_Jersey described not so much as an auction but a “beauty contest”, was largely centred around showcasing its cricket coverage, which includes highlights of England’s home matches and, again in conjunction with BT Sport, simulcasting Australia’s Big Bash League. It is relevant because there is clear overlap between the two sports’ demographic audiences and the removal of cricket from the crown jewels – a list of sporting events ring-fenced for terrestrial TV – has allowed rugby union to prosper, to grab cricket’s land in mainstream media coverage. BT Sport’s investment and commitment has undoubtedly helped – its chummy punditry is not always for everyone but since it began broadcasting Premiership rugby in 2013, TV audiences have risen by 40% and in its existing deal that runs to 2021 it will show up to 80 matches a season. A free-to-air platform, however, is an altogether different proposition. The ITV4 highlights show pulls in 500,000 viewers on a good day – BT Sport draws less than that – but insiders forecast that with Channel 5 on board total figures will reach as high as 1.5 million on a given weekend. As the Exeter chairman, Tony Rowe, Danny Green Womens Jersey said: “The reality is that it’s all about exposure. The deal we’ve done with BT Sport is good, it’s going up year on year but you can’t beat terrestrial TV. Instead of talking in the 100,000s, you’re talking in the millions.” Last year Premiership Rugby announced a deal with NBC to broadcast rights in the United States and from next year onwards matches will be shown live in China on a weekly basis for the first time. Throw in its ham-fisted proposal for a 10-month season and it begins to look like expansionism, but the reasons are obvious – few Premiership clubs make a profit, although Rowe hopes the latest deal will go some way to addressing that. “To attract more sponsors, you need more viewing figures and it’s a great stepping stone,” hesaid. “Premiership rugby is still in its infancy and trying to compete with other European clubs, we have to up the salaries but there is still not a lot of money in the game. I’m sure it will go a long way to improving the number of sponsors that are interested.” A number of details of Channel 5’s deal are yet to be ironed out – who will front the coverage is expected to be announced in early summer – but it will not be feeding off scraps. http://www.authenticspurstore.com/David_Lee_Jersey “Games that matter” was how the five matches were described and while BT Sport ultimately chooses its schedule, Channel 5 will pick premium matches, most likely after the Six Nations Championship, when international players are on show and the end-of-season shake-up is coming into view.
