Brian O'Driscoll of Ireland celebrates the victory after the RBS Six Nations match between France and Ireland at the Stade de France on March 15, 2014 in Saint-Denis near Paris, France. (Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)

The Six Nations board has indicated for the first time that it is to consider offers from pay-television operators for its next UK and Ireland broadcast rights deals, which could result in the championship no longer being shown live on free-to-air television from 2018.

The Six Nations, regarded as one of the crown jewels of the sporting calendar, has previously opted to retain its the long-standing relationship with RTE and the BBC, whose current rights deals runs until 2017.

However, John Feehan, the Six Nations chief executive, has said that he was prepared to consider all options for the next deal, given how critical the revenue generated by the championship is to the Home Unions.

The BBC’s most recent deal for the exclusive UK broadcast and online coverage of the Six Nations, signed in 2011, is reported to have been worth £160 million for four years from 2014.

BT Sport’s emergence as a sports broadcaster and deep-pocketed rival to Sky Sport, however, has since seen the value of rugby’s broadcasting rights soar. Premiership Rugby signed a deal in 2012 with BT Sport to show domestic and Europe games worth £152 million.

Asked if it was regarded as key for the tournament to remain on free-to-air television, Feehan said that it was important "to look at what you are trying to achieve out of the championship". He said: "The championship has never been healthier, it is in great shape and our terrestrial broadcasters have been fantastic partners. But that being said, they, like anybody else, have to be kept honest.

"We have developed the greatest championship in world rugby and the reality is we need to ensure that we continue to generate revenues that can fund and develop the game within the northern hemisphere. The Six Nations is fundamental to that. Without the revenues that the Six Nations brings in, most of the home unions probably couldn’t survive.

"So the reality is that this is an extremely important revenue stream and broadcasting is an extremely important element of that revenue. So I don’t think it is good enough just to say we wouldn’t consider every option.

"Clearly it has worked extremely well on free-to-air terrestrial and clearly they continue to be interested in going forward and we will engage very strongly with them.

"But it is an open market place and we need to keep that in mind."

Under the Listed Events code, the Six Nations Championship is considered as a Category B event. That means it can be shown on pay-TV provided there is sufficient secondary coverage (such as delayed broadcast and highlights).

"As it [the Six Nations] is B-listed, even though it might be live on a pay operator, it would also be shown very shortly after the final whistle on delayed coverage on terrestrial, free-to-air anyway," Feehan said. "So it is not like it would be off the screen or anything like that.

"We talk to all the broadcasters all the time so it is not a case of just pitching up one day and saying: ‘Hey boys, we are ready for sale.’ It doesn't work like that.

"It is an ongoing negotiation and discussion and sometimes that is brought to a head and sometimes it is not. We will pick the right time when we believe it is the best time to go to market."

Online Editors