(ATR) All of rugby’s major world tournaments will be showcased on NBC in the United States for the next seven years.
World Rugby announced a new rights deal with NBC this week, covering tournaments such as the Rugby World Cup and the Women’s Rugby World Cup, among others. Both Rugby 15s and sevens will be included in the new agreement.
The federation said in a release that the rights deal is the "biggest of its kind" in the U.S. NBC Sports said it plans to use NBC, NBCSN, The Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA, NBCSports.com, the NBC Sports app, NBC Sports Gold, and other platforms in the agreement.
World Rugby Chief Bill Beaumont said in a statement that with this deal NBC will be the "destination for rugby in the USA."
"This deal represents a significant uplift on previous deals in the US, reflecting the ever-increasing stature of rugby within what is arguably the most competitive commercial marketplace for sport," Brett Gosper, World Rugby chief executive, added in a statement. "This all-encompassing deal with our friends at NBC is great for fans and great for rugby as we look towards San Francisco’s hosting of Rugby World Cup Sevens in 2018."
Linear Version of Olympic Channel to Debut in USA in July
A linear version of the Olympic Channel will make its debut in the United States this summer.
Comcast, the parent company of NBCUniversal, revealed on its website this week that the Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA will begin broadcasting on July 15. It will take the place of Universal HD, which will cease operations.
The Olympic Channel will be carried by Comcast on its cable systems as well as AT&T U-Verse and DirecTV when it launches.
Back in December, the International Olympic Committee, the United States Olympic Committee and NBCUniversal announced plans to launch the Olympic Channel "during the second half of 2017" as part of a comprehensive content and distribution partnership in the United States.
The linear channel will offer fans year-round Olympic-sport programming from around the world, with an emphasis on their favorite American athletes and teams. It is designed to complement the Olympic Channel, which launched as a worldwide digital platform following the Closing Ceremony of the Olympic Games Rio 2016.
IWF Signs Media Partner
Lagardère Sports will help broadcast International Weightlifting Federation events for the next Olympic cycle.
The two groups singed a media partnership this week that covers the next three IWF World Championships, as well as securing television rights for other events. The 2017 championships will be held in Anaheim, United States. The 2018 and 2019 World Championships will serve as Tokyo 2020 qualifiers.
"Through a long-term strategic partnership, we will be able to give these events the global visibility they deserve, while creating a consistent, high-level product," Dennis Spencer, senior vice president – media, Lagardère Sports, said in a statement. "This will result in a better outcome for everyone involved with the sport of weightlifting – including the fans, athletes, host cities, sponsors and broadcasters."
Written by Aaron Bauer and Gerard Farek
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