BBC vs Sky vs BT

With the recent news that the Six Nations’ time on terrestrial television could be coming to an end, we thought it would be interesting to look at the merits that the three major British rugby broadcasters Sky, BT and the BBC, would bring to the coverage.

John Feehan, chief executive of the Six Nations, admitted back in January that they would consider all options when the current deal with the BBC expires in 2017. Regardless of whether or not this was a tactic to elicit a more lucrative offer from the BBC or a genuine desire to explore other avenues, there’s no doubt that it will have piqued the interests of both Sky and BT.

With this year’s Six Nations still fresh in the mind, it makes the BBC a logical place to start.
The broadcaster brings with it a wealth of prestige and tradition, having played host to some of the most memorable moments in rugby over the past 40 years. It also offers unparalleled access to the sport, as its channels are readily available to everyone with a TV set and licence.

Keeping hold of the Six Nations should be of paramount importance to the BBC, as it remains one of the very few live sporting events still broadcast on terrestrial TV. That said, the organisations’ limited stock of live sport is seemingly diminishing with each passing year and it remains to be seen whether the BBC will be able to package together a lucrative enough offer to keep the Six Nations loyal.

Then we have Sky.
The satellite broadcaster is still smarting from losing coverage of the Aviva Premiership to BT, whilst it also no longer has exclusive access to Europe’s premiere rugby competition, the European Rugby Champions Cup. The Six Nations would prove to be a very enticing carrot if it really is being dangled in front of Sky, and there’s little doubt that it has the capability to outbid the BBC for the license.

BT, the new boys on the block, have been aggressive in their pursuit of live rugby and an attempt to secure the Six Nations would represent their most ambitious move yet. BT has spent big for a new broadcaster, not only securing the aforementioned Premiership and partial ERCC coverage, but has also shelled out an eye-watering £897m to show UEFA Champions League games. Whether or not a push for the Six Nations would see the telecoms giant overextending itself is up for debate, but it has already shown that is not afraid to make bold moves.

Both satellite broadcasters bring with them variety and quality in their punditry, and have really pushed on with their attempts to analyse games during half-time and in the post-match wrap-up. The likes of Will Greenwood, Alan Quinlan, Brian O’Driscoll and Ben Kay are amongst the best at providing insight into the inner workings of the modern game and do so in a way which is well-received by both novices to the sport and armchair experts.

The BBC does offer a star-studded line-up of its own, with commentator Brian Moore amongst the most intelligible rugby voices currently around, but it does not delve into the level of analysis that its rival broadcasters do.

The obvious drawback of the satellite broadcasters is their limited reach, something which a sport that is still in need of significant growth, needs to be wary of. It’s conceivable that should either Sky or BT win the rights, that they would offer a short-term membership plan solely for the Six Nations, but ultimately it means the tournament’s viewing figures would likely fall. This year’s tournament saw a viewing peak of 9.6m during the England vs France game, a record-breaking figure on the BBC.

Feehan and the rest of the top brass at the Six Nations will likely have to weigh up the merits of taking a more lucrative offer from Sky or BT, and the ensuing windfall for the six participating rugby unions, with the exposure a deal with the BBC will continue to offer.

Feehan will undoubtedly be hoping that his comments in January produce a larger offer from the BBC, and given the spectacle and drama this year’s finale offered, not to mention the unprecedented viewing figures, there’s every chance they could.