Premiership Rugby on Channel 5

[ellis9]

5 games and a Sunday night highlights show will be on Channel 5 next season.

http://www.premiershiprugby.com/news/li ... itive-bid/

[Noddy555]

This is good new Any deal which puts Rugby Union on a Freeview channel only serves to increase interest in the game.

[Roly]

I'll just have to stick with my 80 live AP games a year I'm afraid.

[Iain]

The five games are simulcast on BT and Channel 5, so it isn't one against the other. Premiership rugby being live on terrestrial is a huge deal though.

[Noggs]

I suspect it suits BT well in that it wets the appetite and hopefully gets them more subscriptions in the longer term

[grobyman]

The five games are for the whole season, I hope that many don't think that is five is per week! Also don't BT already do a similar number of free view games a season, I know that isn't terrestrial but it's still free.

There is also a highlight show on ITV with Durdan-Smith and Bayfield/Flatman, arguably if the new show replaces this, could be argued a downgrade move to a smaller channel?

Look behind the headline and it feels a bit smoke and mirrors, the only difference is the terrestrial bit. I think I will stick to my BT subscription. It is good that the sport gets this exposure and any this may whet appetites to subscribe to the full BT package, but the story does need to be viewed pragmatically.

[ellis9]

Yes, I think we all realise it's 5 games over the season!

[Cagey Tiger]

The five games are for the whole season, I hope that many don't think that is five is per week! Also don't BT already do a similar number of free view games a season, I know that isn't terrestrial but it's still free.

There is also a highlight show on ITV with Durdan-Smith and Bayfield/Flatman, arguably if the new show replaces this, could be argued a downgrade move to a smaller channel?

Until we see the new highlight show, not sure how you can argue that this is a downgrade. And so what if it is a smaller channel? Still free and UK wide.