ITV will continue to cover Premiership Rugby for at least another two years, introducing a rebranded highlights show and screening a selection of games live and free-to-air.
- Deal ends uncertainty for free-to-air viewers.
- Follows good viewing figures for 2023/24 games
- All matches broadcast on ITV will be broadcast on TNT Sports.
Premiership Rugby and ITV have agreed a two-year extension to the rights deal which sees seven Gallagher Premiership Rugby matches, including the Final, broadcast free-to-air.
The new deal introduces a rebranded highlights show – Gallagher Premiership Unleashed. It will go on air Wednesday nights, rounding up the latest action from the Premiership.
TNT Sports remains the main home of live Premiership Rugby after securing the rights back in March. All ITV games will also be broadcast on TNT Sports.
This extension follows a record-breaking 2023-24 which saw the Gallagher Premiership Rugby Final 2024 deliver the highest peak audience ever for a Premiership Rugby match on ITV. Across ITV and TNT Sports, the Final also drew an average audience of 1.2m and a share of 14.3%, approximately 1 in 7 of all UK viewers.
The deal comes just days ahead of ITV showing the first games live, officially ending a period of uncertainty for fans using free-to-air TV. The first live game on Saturday replaces ITV4’s original schedule, published in printed listing magazines.
Which games is ITV showing live?
In addition to highlights, seven games including the final will be shown live on ITV’s channels. The first three games to be announced are:
- Bath Rugby v Bristol Bears – Saturday 5th October (3:05pm Kick-off, ITV4/ITVX)
- Leicester Tigers v Gloucester Rugby – Sunday 19th October (3:00pm Kick-off, channel TBC/ITVX)
- Harlequins v Leicester Tigers – Saturday 28th December (6:00pm Kick-off, ITV4/ITVX)
The next three games are yet to be confirmed.
Corporate comment
Simon Massie-Taylor, Chief Executive Officer at Premiership Rugby, said:
“Premiership Rugby is thrilled to extend our relationship with ITV and to continue to provide free-to-air access to Gallagher Premiership Rugby with seven blockbuster fixtures on top of the revamped weekly highlights show.
“The 2023/24 season saw ITV viewership records smashed for The Showdown 5 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium between London rivals Saracens and Harlequins – and again for the Gallagher Premiership Rugby Final 2024 – adding to an impressive year-on-year increase in overall audience share.”
Niall Sloane, Director of ITV Sport, added:
“Viewers are eagerly anticipating the new Gallagher Premiership Rugby season on ITV1 and ITVX this Autumn. As well as last season outperforming the previous on linear, on ITVX streams for the matches and highlights were up by +14% also with 1.8m.”
By: Marc Thornham | Image: Premiership Rugby