BROADCASTER EIR SPORT today confirmed they have acquired the Guinness Pro14 rights for the next three seasons.
As reported by The42 in January, eir outbid Sky Sports for the tournament which was newly expanded to include two South African entrants last summer.
A sub-licensing agreement with TG4 means a selection of Irish provincial fixtures will remain available on free to air, but all 152 matches next season will be available to view on eir.
Eir promise to showcase 30 hours of Pro14 coverage weekly, including up to six live matches and analysis before and after games.
The move bolsters eir’s position in the rugby broadcasting market, adding a regular fixture list to go alongside their 2019 Rugby World Cup rights, the U20 World Championship and Leinster Schools Cup.
“The bidding for broadcast rights in the Irish market showed us just how much interest there is in the Guinness Pro14 since our expansion into South Africa,” tournament CEO Martin Anayi said.
Eir Sport’s bid was impossible to turn down due to the unprecedented support they will provide across every area of the Guinness Pro14 – on and off the pitch.
“The vision eir Sport has for the Guinness Pro14 is going to smash all previous expectations for our teams and their supporters,” added Dermot Rigley, Pro14 Rugby’s Commercial and Marketing Director.
“The production standards will be like nothing ever seen before in the Guinness Pro14 with up to 10 High Definition cameras capturing the action at every game.”
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