Premiership Rugby agrees new TV deal with TNT Sports for 2024-25 season
- Published
TNT Sports also has the rights to broadcast Premiership Women's Rugby and the European Champions Cup and Challenge Cup competitions
Premiership Rugby has agreed a new television deal with TNT Sports, with the broadcaster showing every league game live next season.
TNT's owners Warner Bros. Discovery have agreed to show all 93 matches from English rugby union's top flight.
As well as all Premiership and play-off games the broadcaster, who took over BT Sport last year, will show a select number of Premiership Rugby Cup games.
The existing three-year TNT Sports contract runs out this summer.
Under the present deal agreed with predecessors BT Sport in 2020 - reportedly worth £110m - the broadcaster showed 80 live matches per season, with the rest on the league's online platform PRTV.
With Wasps, Worcester and London Irish all going bust last season there has been one fewer game per round available to broadcast.
The length and value of the deal has not been disclosed, with discussions still ongoing on the future of the top two tiers of English rugby in the light of the financial issues that struck the Premiership in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
ITV has shared rights to some Premiership matches, as well as highlights, and the league has not yet disclosed what, if any, free-to-air access there will be from next season.
"This first season alongside TNT Sports has already produced some unmissable drama - so we are delighted to be showcasing every single Gallagher Premiership Rugby game on the same platform from 2024-25," said Premiership rugby chief executive Simon Massie-Taylor.
"Millions of fans have helped break viewership records this year as we work together to innovate and bring the game to new audiences."