Partner Article

BT sign £152m deal with Premiership Rugby

Broadcaster BT have signed a £152m deal with Premiership Rugby to access exclusive live rights to matches for four years.

Starting in 2013, BT will have the rights to show Aviva Premiership Rugby and J.P. Morgan Asset Management Sevens live, as well as any matches played by Premiership teams in future European tournaments from 2014 for three years.

The deal is one of the biggest broadcasting transactions ever for club rugby, and covers the rights to 69 matches per season from the Aviva Premiership.

BSkyB and ESPN currently hold exclusivity to matches on an even split, whereas from 2014, fans will watch Aviva rugby games from one provider.

Commenting on the deal, Marc Watson, chief of BT Vision, said: “BT is delighted to have secured this deal. Rugby Union is entering a thrilling phase with the World Cup being staged here in 2015 and rugby returning to the Olympics in 2016.

“BT is serious about sport and this deal means we will be offering the very best rugby action alongside some of the most thrilling football matches from the Premier League. That is a winning combination and one that will appeal to fans of both sports.”

The chief executive of Premiership Rugby, Mark McCafferty said: “This is a game-changing agreement and will deliver a service that I know our club supporters will enjoy.

“We are delighted to have concluded our discussions with such an ambitious partner that will help bring Premiership Rugby to new audiences.

“BT is a company at the cutting edge of technology and that is one of the reasons it makes them such an exciting broadcast partner for Premiership Rugby.

“We will develop a broad partnership. As well as showing the live games, BT will assist us in further upgrading the technical infrastructure of our clubs’ stadia and by building Community programmes with us.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Miranda Dobson .