THE FIGHTBACK AGAINST the Six Nations being sold to a subscription TV channel has intensified with the chair of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Committee in the UK applying pressure on tournament organisers.

This follows the steps taken by two of the leading spokespersons on sport in the Dail, who this week started a campaign to ensure Ireland’s future games in the tournament are protected on free-to-air television.

As things currently stand, next year’s tournament is guaranteed to be on free-to-air TV – Virgin Media holding the broadcasting rights for the 15 fixtures in Ireland, BBC and ITV sharing them in the UK.

However, it has been widely reported that both Sky and Amazon are keen to enter the market and bid for the next round of rights from 2022. According to a report in The Rugby Paper, Sky are even prepared to bid up to £300m to secure the rights.

Leading politicians on either side of the Irish Sea are ready to intervene, though. In Ireland, Fergus O’Dowd, chair of the Oireachtas committee on sport, and Marc McSharry, Fianna Fail’s sports spokesperson, want to amend the legislation which would protect Ireland’s Six Nations games from being forced to go behind a paywall.

Now it has emerged this morning that Julian Knight MP, chair of the DCMS committee, has written to the top brass of the RFU, Scottish and Welsh Unions to specifically ask if they plan to sell the tournament to a subscription broadcaster.

Knight’s letter states:

It is a matter of great concern for the Committee to see reports in the media that coverage of Six Nations rugby may, following the outcome of a bidding process, move behind a paywall.”

Knight goes on to ask six direct questions to the unions.

1: How will the bidding process work, and to what timescale?

2: Will BBC and ITV be allowed to issue a joint bid when the current rights deal ends?

3: Are reports accurate suggesting Sky are favourites to win the rights deal?

4: Have you held any discussions with the DCMS about moving Six Nations from Category B to Category A of listed sporting events, thereby ensuring that live coverage is made available to free-to-air channels?

Be part

of the team Access exclusive podcasts, interviews and analysis with a monthly or annual membership. Become a Member

5: It is reported private equity firm CVC are expected to acquire a 15 per cent stake in the tournament with a view to driving up its commercial income. Can you confirm this?

6: What are the current broadcasting arrangements in each of the participating nations – were the tournament to go behind a paywall, what would be the impact in each of the participating nations?

The UK’s sport committee want an answer by 12 March. In Ireland, meanwhile, Sports Ministers, Shane Ross and Brendan Griffin, are being lobbied to change legislation which would see the Six Nations upgraded from ‘deferred’ category status to ‘live’ category status.

In other words, O’Dowd and McSharry are keen to ensure Ireland’s matches will remain live on free-to-air TV no matter what deal is struck in the UK.