For further information:
Louise Zayed
Senior Press Officer
Tel: +353 1 419 3428
louise.zayed@tv3.ie
Kevin Shore
Press Officer
Tel: +353 1 419 3387
kevin.shore@virginmedia.ie
publicity@tv3.ie
TV3 GROUP RELEASE
IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday 11th November, 2015.
TV3 wins Six Nations Championship rights from 2018
Four seasons from 2018-2021
All matches and all broadcast rights to ‘Rugby’s Greatest Championship’
TV3 along with The Six Nations Council today announced that it has secured the rights to the Six Nations Championship for a period of 4 years from 2018 until 2021, following the conclusion of a competitive tender process.
TV3 will broadcast every game live and free-to-air for viewers in the Republic of Ireland from 2018 onwards. TV3’s coverage will also include previews, magazine programmes and highlight shows as well as delayed match replays of all matches to complement live coverage and give maximum exposure to ‘Rugby’s Greatest Championship’.
The Six Nations Championship is the premier rugby competition in the Northern Hemisphere. Over the last two years viewership in Ireland has averaged over 400,000 per match. Ireland has enjoyed back-to-back title success in the Six Nations Championship in 2014 and 2015.
Commenting on the agreement, John Feehan, CEO of Six Nations Rugby said: “We are delighted to be working with TV3 on developing the interest in the Championship and to ultimately grow this wonderful competition in Ireland. TV3’s coverage of Rugby World Cup was very successful and we believe that they will inject new and exciting ideas in the broadcasting of the Six Nations Championship.”
Niall Cogley, TV3 Group Director of Broadcasting said: “In the last two months, TV3 has been able to demonstrate its credentials as Ireland’s National Commercial Broadcaster with a refreshing and comprehensive presentation of all 48 games of Rugby World Cup 2015. We are grateful that the Six Nations Unions, the Federations and their Executive team were sufficiently impressed by our recent work. We very much look forward to presenting Rugby’s Greatest Championship into the foreseeable future and making TV3 the home of rugby in Ireland.”
TV3 Group CEO, David McRedmond, said: “In recent years we have had to endure extraordinary challenges in the most intense of commercial environments. I am delighted we can back up our success with Rugby World Cup 2015 coverage by winning these rights. We are committed to providing Irish audiences with the best home production in sport, in drama with the award-winning ‘Red Rock’, in documentaries like ‘The Joy’, in News and in entertainment shows such as ‘The Great Irish Bake-Off’.”
Images have been sent to your picture desks and are available here: http://we.tl/4VNjDvHw6Y
More about TV3 in Notes to Editor
ENDS
For further information
Sharon McHugh – Head of Press & Publicity – 087 922 4143
Follow TV3
Follow us on Twitter: @TV3Ireland
Find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/TVThreeIreland
Follow us on YouTube: www.youtube.com/TV3Group
NOTES TO EDITOR
In July 2015, TV3 Group announced its sale to Virgin Media, a Liberty Global company. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval.
TV3 employs over 250 people fulltime and a further 130 people on its new soap drama ‘Red Rock’ which was launched in January 2015.
Virgin Media Television launches its Spring TV Schedule
Monday 23rd, 17:13pm
The World TV Premiere of ?Cardboard Gangsters?, Brand New Christmas Specials and Family Movie Fav
Wednesday 13th, 15:52pm
TV3 announces presentation team and panel for its coverage of the NatWest Six Nations 2018
Tuesday 12th, 16:49pm
?Quote Devil Insurance? Renews Sponsorship of Virgin Media Television Weather
Monday 15th, 17:15pm
TV3 Group to rebrand as Virgin Media Television
Thursday 28th, 13:10pm
Virgin Media and TV3 secure rights to all UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League matches
Tuesday 15th, 11:12am