1
'It is very disappointing': Six Nations just took another small step towards a paywall
By Online Editors
The government has rejected the chance to ensure the Guinness Six Nations remains only on free-to-air TV by turning down a call to give the Championships Group A status, with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee labelling the decision a “missed opportunity”.
Speculation has been rife in recent weeks that the competition could go behind a paywall – with Sky Sports front runners to secure broadcasting rights covering the 2022-24 tournaments – and it resulted in a motion being tabled to Parliament at the start of March.
WATCH: RugbyPass meet Welsh Rugby legends James Hook and Shane Williams.
Kevin Brennan, MP for Cardiff West, submitted a proposal that was also signed by 11 other Welsh MPs. He called for the Six Nations to be put in the Government’s ‘Category A’ of sporting events, thereby ensuring it will be shown live on free-to-air platforms.
But it will remain in the Group B category, opening the door for Sky Sports to try and secure the broadcasting rights of the Six Nations tournaments after the 2021 edition.
Rules prevent the BBC and ITV from making another joint bid after next year’s Six Nations, which could be the last on only free-to-air TV.
DCMS committee chair Julian Knight said: “We’ve been informed by the government today that it has rejected our call to review the listing of the Six Nations Championship to give it Group A status which would have ensured it remained available on free-to-air channels.
“It is very disappointing and a real missed opportunity that the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is not even prepared to consider our request.
“It would have given fans hope for the future to see a national event that brings people together was being protected for all. That’s a message that becomes even more important in a time like this.”
Press Association
Trending on RugbyPass
2
Stuart Lancaster 'wants out' of Racing 92 and eyeing Euro giants job
3
Henry Arundell lined up for early England homecoming
4
Government provides bleak assessment on the state of the Premiership
5
Latest Comments
It is if he thinks he’s got hold of the ball and there is at least one other player between him and the ball carrier, which is why he has to reach around and over their heads. Not a deliberate action for me.
Go to commentsI understand, but England 30 years ago were a set piece focused kick heavy team not big on using backs.
Same as now.
South African sides from any period will have a big bunch of forwards smashing it up and a first five booting everything in their own half.
NZ until recently rarely if ever scrummed for penalties; the scrum is to attack from, broken play, not structured is what we’re after.
Same as now.
These are ways of playing very ingrained into the culture.
If you were in an English club team and were off to Fiji for a game against a club team you’d never heard of and had no footage of, how would you prepare?
For a forward dominated grind or would you assume they will throw the ball about because they are Fijian?
A Fiji way. An English way.
An Australian way depends on who you’ve scraped together that hasn’t been picked off by AFL or NRL, and that changes from generation to generation a lot of the time.
Actually, maybe that is their style. In fact, yes they have a style.
Nevermind. Fuggit I’ve typed it all out now.
Go to comments