BBC Wales out of running to show Pro 14 next season

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-43302261

Live coverage of club rugby will not be shown on BBC Two Wales next season after the BBC failed to reach a deal to continue broadcasting the Pro 14 tournament.

Competition organisers are understood to have awarded the UK rights to a pay-TV service, but BBC Wales had hoped to continue broadcasting games in Wales.

It means viewers will no longer be able to watch club games on free-to-air television in English. Negotiations over Welsh language rights are ongoing.

This and also Mallinder rejecting Cardiff.

FFS.

Ouch. Looks like they are struggling:

https://www.pro14rugby.org/2018/03/06/pro14-rugby-statement-broadcast-tenders/?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=PRO14Official&utm_content=PRO14%20Rugby%20Statement%20on%20Broadcast%20Tenders

RugbyFan100 wrote:Ouch. Looks like they are struggling:

https://www.pro14rugby.org/2018/03/06/pro14-rugby-statement-broadcast-tenders/?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=PRO14Official&utm_content=PRO14%20Rugby%20Statement%20on%20Broadcast%20Tenders

How exactly are they struggling?

marty2086 wrote:

RugbyFan100 wrote:Ouch. Looks like they are struggling:

https://www.pro14rugby.org/2018/03/06/pro14-rugby-statement-broadcast-tenders/?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=PRO14Official&utm_content=PRO14%20Rugby%20Statement%20on%20Broadcast%20Tenders

How exactly are they struggling?

The statement just reads a bit desperate. Right from the off, they are going out of their way to congratulate themselves. I'm sure they know what they're doing behind the scenes. Such is their great track record with big tv deals.

RugbyFan100 wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

RugbyFan100 wrote:Ouch. Looks like they are struggling:

https://www.pro14rugby.org/2018/03/06/pro14-rugby-statement-broadcast-tenders/?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=PRO14Official&utm_content=PRO14%20Rugby%20Statement%20on%20Broadcast%20Tenders

How exactly are they struggling?

The statement just reads a bit desperate. Right from the off, they are going out of their way to congratulate themselves. I'm sure they know what they're doing behind the scenes. Such is their great track record with big tv deals.

And you get that from your great knowledge over how tv rights work?

marty2086 wrote:

RugbyFan100 wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

RugbyFan100 wrote:Ouch. Looks like they are struggling:

https://www.pro14rugby.org/2018/03/06/pro14-rugby-statement-broadcast-tenders/?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=PRO14Official&utm_content=PRO14%20Rugby%20Statement%20on%20Broadcast%20Tenders

How exactly are they struggling?

The statement just reads a bit desperate. Right from the off, they are going out of their way to congratulate themselves. I'm sure they know what they're doing behind the scenes. Such is their great track record with big tv deals.

And you get that from your great knowledge over how tv rights work?

As you've noted, I don't have a clue on most things to do with rugby union. That's why I'm here to learn from hugely knowledgable posters such as yourself.

RugbyFan100 wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

RugbyFan100 wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

RugbyFan100 wrote:Ouch. Looks like they are struggling:

https://www.pro14rugby.org/2018/03/06/pro14-rugby-statement-broadcast-tenders/?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=PRO14Official&utm_content=PRO14%20Rugby%20Statement%20on%20Broadcast%20Tenders

How exactly are they struggling?

The statement just reads a bit desperate. Right from the off, they are going out of their way to congratulate themselves. I'm sure they know what they're doing behind the scenes. Such is their great track record with big tv deals.

And you get that from your great knowledge over how tv rights work?

As you've noted, I don't have a clue on most things to do with rugby union. That's why I'm here to learn from hugely knowledgable posters such as yourself.

I said tv rights not rugby union so seems reading is something you need to brush up on too

Seems your mind reading ability is on point after all you can see beyond a simple statement and see the league are desperate after all they have been able to turn away BBC Wales, likely for more money, but they're desperate?

marty2086 wrote:

I said tv rights not rugby union so seems reading is something you need to brush up on too

Seems your mind reading ability is on point after all you can see beyond a simple statement and see the league are desperate after all they have been able to turn away BBC Wales, likely for more money, but they're desperate?

Absolutely Marty. Thanks for your input. I'm here to learn.

Meanwhile, if there's no Pro14 on free to air tv in Wales, I wonder if that's going to help the exposure of the competition here?

Are many people in Wales going to spent £8 a month on Premeir Sports / another pay tv product?

Just watch the aviva prem highlights and occasional free to air game and become england fans.

Well given Pro14 have said negotiations are ongoing, we don't know where it will end up and since they mention free to air tv it may just mean it's not going to BBC Wales

I suppose Premier sport could carry it free to air via FreeSports. Hope not though.

So you don't want it free and you don't want it on pay tv?

marty2086 wrote:So you don't want it free and you don't want it on pay tv?

I don't believe I've said such a thing. Stop making things up.

RugbyFan100 wrote:

marty2086 wrote:So you don't want it free and you don't want it on pay tv?

I don't believe I've said such a thing. Stop making things up.

Make what up? I asked a question, again, reading isn't a strong point for you

marty2086 wrote:

RugbyFan100 wrote:

marty2086 wrote:So you don't want it free and you don't want it on pay tv?

I don't believe I've said such a thing. Stop making things up.

Make what up? I asked a question, again, reading isn't a strong point for you

You didn't ask a question. You made a statement then put a question mark at the end of the sentence. I think I'm right in saying there is no auxilliary verb in your statement to make it a question. Hence, you've actually answered the statement(s) for me.

Feel free to try again if you want. We're all here to learn.

What's your ideal but realistic solution to tv rights for the league?

No 7&1/2 wrote:What's your ideal but realistic solution to tv rights for the league?

BT Sports or Sky Sports cover all UK and Ireland.

I'm assuming you were asking me.

RugbyFan100 wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

RugbyFan100 wrote:

marty2086 wrote:So you don't want it free and you don't want it on pay tv?

I don't believe I've said such a thing. Stop making things up.

Make what up? I asked a question, again, reading isn't a strong point for you

You didn't ask a question. You made a statement then put a question mark at the end of the sentence. I think I'm right in saying there is no auxilliary verb in your statement to make it a question. Hence, you've actually answered the statement(s) for me.

Feel free to try again if you want. We're all here to learn.

You mean like do? which forms the contraction don't?

Again, reading isn't a strong point so maybe you will feel free to try again

And if you are going to accuse someone of making something up, it might be a good idea to not say it not long after making something up

So might be advisable to pay more attention in school rather than misreading on here

RugbyFan100 wrote:

No 7&1/2 wrote:What's your ideal but realistic solution to tv rights for the league?

BT Sports or Sky Sports cover all UK and Ireland.

I'm assuming you were asking me.

Genuine question - in which case, why are you worried that BBC Wales isn't showing any games?

marty2086 wrote:
You mean like do? which forms the contraction don't?

Again, reading isn't a strong point so maybe you will feel free to try again

And if you are going to accuse someone of making something up, it might be a good idea to not say it not long after making something up

So might be advisable to pay more attention in school rather than misreading on here

Thank you. I will take your feedback on board. I'm here to learn.

#Grammar #KeyStageOne

Yeah. So happy for a pay tv deal for the league bar sa and italy. Presumably by or sky as you're likely to get a slightly higher fee more likely from.sky as BT already have the aviva. Pretty similar to now bar the Welsh deal?

BamBam wrote:

Genuine question - in which case, why are you worried that BBC Wales isn't showing any games?

I'm not worried. I think it's a good thing.

The league's profile (already poor in Wales) will suffer though.

No 7&1/2 wrote:Yeah. So happy for a pay tv deal for the league bar sa and italy. Presumably by or sky as you're likely to get a slightly higher fee more likely from.sky as BT already have the aviva. Pretty similar to now bar the Welsh deal?

And s4c, and bbc alba, and BBC NI and whatever the regional language channel in RO Ireland is.

Seems like two objectives that can't both be met then - Either the league brings in more TV revenue, or it has games on FTA to grow exposure

For what it's worth, I'd be very surprised if Sky were bidding with much intent for Pro14 rights given they are generally moving away from club rugby coverage after losing the AP and Euro rights already

They also look to have set out their sports strategy quite clearly with their current channel set up.

Individual channels for Premier League, football, cricket, golf and F1 would look to be their primary focus. Everything else will go on the Arena/Action channels, with the biggest events in Union/League/NFL etc being brought onto the Main Event channel when there is enough interest

This will be the death of the Pro14 in Wales.

Mark my words.

Sorry don't understand your last point rugby. You still want a lot.of separate tv deals or one (for Britain and ireland) covered by 1 channel?

BamBam wrote:Seems like two objectives that can't both be met then - Either the league brings in more TV revenue, or it has games on FTA to grow exposure

Option 1 is far more important at the moment. Lets hope Premier Spots aren't relying on the Welsh public for increased subscriptions. Because the Welsh rugby public by and large don't walk 200 yards down the road to watch the game in the flesh let alone pay an extra tenner a month for it.

For what it's worth, I'd be very surprised if Sky were bidding with much intent for Pro14 rights given they are generally moving away from club rugby coverage after losing the AP and Euro rights already

They also look to have set out their sports strategy quite clearly with their current channel set up.

Individual channels for Premier League, football, cricket, golf and F1 would look to be their primary focus. Everything else will go on the Arena/Action channels, with the biggest events in Union/League/NFL etc being brought onto the Main Event channel when there is enough interest

The Pro14 has bitten off more than it can chew in this respect, adding teams and splitting to conferences etc. The nightmare logistics involved with one single broadcaster showing it means that it's unlikely that 1 broadcaster goes for it.

No 7&1/2 wrote:Sorry don't understand your last point rugby. You still  want a lot.of separate tv deals or one (for Britain and ireland) covered by 1 channel?

Covered by 1 channel.

LordDowlais wrote:This will be the death of the Pro14 in Wales.

Mark my words.

I tend to agree. It will be interesting to see if the floating voters actually go to the games more - or just let the league fade into the background. The latter seems more likely given how apathetic the majority of the welsh rugby public are to domestic welsh rugby.

The only thing that might make it survive is that FreeSports channel option.

RugbyFan100 wrote:
The Pro14 has bitten off more than it can chew in this respect, adding teams and splitting to conferences etc. The nightmare logistics involved with one single broadcaster showing it means that it's unlikely that 1 broadcaster goes for it.

Why?

Pro14 will not be in existence by 2020.

It will be close to the AP model in a sense, with all the live rights on pay TV, and a highlights package on FTA?

Is there a link to an easy summary of how the TV rights are currently divided up? Few bits I'm not clear on, ie how do TV rights in Ulster work, what about Scottish games etc

I wonder how this will affect coverage by BBC Ulster/Alba and TG4 ?

Will they be asked to bid more or lose coverage ?

marty2086 wrote:

RugbyFan100 wrote:
The Pro14 has bitten off more than it can chew in this respect, adding teams and splitting to conferences etc. The nightmare logistics involved with one single broadcaster showing it means that it's unlikely that 1 broadcaster goes for it.

Why?

Because, like sky sports have shown, they are not interested. The Pro14 should have done everything in it's power to convince Sky (and to a lesser extent BT Sports) to get exclusive rights. But instead they seemed to be chasing a solution that involved Eir Sports, and then think about the rest at a later date.

Time will tell if that was the right option. I don't think it is.

RugbyFan100 wrote:

LordDowlais wrote:This will be the death of the Pro14 in Wales.

Mark my words.

I tend to agree. It will be interesting to see if the floating voters actually go to the games more - or just let the league fade into the background. The latter seems more likely given how apathetic the majority of the welsh rugby public are to domestic welsh rugby.

The only thing that might make it survive is that FreeSports channel option.

Most people do not know what "FreeSports" is. Trust me, the amount of people who still dipped their finger into Welsh rugby because it was still easily accessible on free to air is massive in Wales, and the Pro14 has just lost two of it's biggest income providers, SKY and BBC Wales.

Seriously, our Irish members, and the ones who like to hump their legs just to get one over the Welsh should be concerned. I doubt they will be though.

BamBam wrote:It will be close to the AP model in a sense, with all the live rights on pay TV, and a highlights package on FTA?

Is there a link to an easy summary of how the TV rights are currently divided up? Few bits I'm not clear on, ie how do TV rights in Ulster work, what about Scottish games etc

BBC NI have the rights for Ulsters games except those Sky chose, BBC Alba have rights to the Scottish games and TG4 have rights to Connacht, Leinster and Munster games. These again are all once Sky have had their pick

LordDowlais wrote:Pro14 will not be in existence by 2020.

One can only hope.

LordDowlais wrote:

Most people do not know what "FreeSports" is. Trust me, the amount of people who still dipped their finger into Welsh rugby because it was still easily accessible on free to air is massive in Wales, and the Pro14 has just lost two of it's biggest income providers, SKY and BBC Wales.

Seriously, our Irish members, and the ones who like to hump their legs just to get one over the Welsh should be concerned. I doubt they will be though.

Yeah I understand. The Pro14 now need to make up the annual £8m - £9m holes that BBC Wales and Sky have left. Perhaps Premier Sports have that in the bank.

RugbyFan100 wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

RugbyFan100 wrote:
The Pro14 has bitten off more than it can chew in this respect, adding teams and splitting to conferences etc. The nightmare logistics involved with one single broadcaster showing it means that it's unlikely that 1 broadcaster goes for it.

Why?

Because, like sky sports have shown, they are not interested. The Pro14 should have done everything in it's power to convince Sky (and to a lesser extent BT Sports) to get exclusive rights. But instead they seemed to be chasing a solution that involved Eir Sports, and then think about the rest at a later date.

Time will tell if that was the right option. I don't think it is.

Now again you're making things up and are full of sh!t, except the articles from a while back claimed that Sky wanted exclusive rights to the UK and Ireland but were OUTBID by Eir in Ireland so instead of acknowledging whats been reported you pick the elements you want to create a conspiracy that exists only in your mind

2@'s, "door handles", "merchant bankers" !!!

If it's the Luxembourg registered but Irish owned Premier Sports TV then god help us all. I've tried to watch some of the BUSC cup games on Freesport. It's not in HD and looks like it's being filmed on a mobile phone

Hope there's still some games on the TG4, BBC ALBA and of course the much-maligned S4C

I don't get why anyone would want their league to die.

No 7&1/2 wrote:I don't get why anyone would want their league to die.

Google: "Right of Revolution"

Aren't sky washing their hands of rugby all together in the UK and Ireland because they wanted all or nothing ?

And surely the P14 will want BBC Ulster/Alba etc to bid more money ?

marty2086 wrote:

BamBam wrote:It will be close to the AP model in a sense, with all the live rights on pay TV, and a highlights package on FTA?

Is there a link to an easy summary of how the TV rights are currently divided up? Few bits I'm not clear on, ie how do TV rights in Ulster work, what about Scottish games etc

BBC NI have the rights for Ulsters games except those Sky chose, BBC Alba have rights to the Scottish games and TG4 have rights to Connacht, Leinster and Munster games. These again are all once Sky have had their pick

Very simple then

I guess its the challenge when the league covers 5 countries, each of which have different TV markets and broadcasters. One broadcaster just doesn't seem like it would work even in just UK and Ireland. Does BT Sport have a presence in Ireland?

munkian wrote:Aren't sky washing their hands of rugby all together in the UK and Ireland because they wanted all or nothing ?

And surely the P14 will want BBC Ulster/Alba etc to bid more money ?

That's what they reported but then again if it's a tender process they could have went all in expecting no one to out do them and it backfired with no opportunity to go back in to change their bid

marty2086 wrote:

RugbyFan100 wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

RugbyFan100 wrote:
The Pro14 has bitten off more than it can chew in this respect, adding teams and splitting to conferences etc. The nightmare logistics involved with one single broadcaster showing it means that it's unlikely that 1 broadcaster goes for it.

Why?

Because, like sky sports have shown, they are not interested. The Pro14 should have done everything in it's power to convince Sky (and to a lesser extent BT Sports) to get exclusive rights. But instead they seemed to be chasing a solution that involved Eir Sports, and then think about the rest at a later date.

Time will tell if that was the right option. I don't think it is.

Now again you're making things up and are full of sh!t, except the articles from a while back claimed that Sky wanted exclusive rights to the UK and Ireland but were OUTBID by Eir in Ireland so instead of acknowledging whats been reported you pick the elements you want to create a conspiracy that exists only in your mind

Yes, Sky were outbid for the Irish rights only.

Sky wanted both UK and Ireland, which would have been great. But the Pro14 wanted the irish rights to go to EirSports. So Sky bailed.

Maybe this will make all countries contribute a more equal share of the TV rights ?

BamBam wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

BamBam wrote:It will be close to the AP model in a sense, with all the live rights on pay TV, and a highlights package on FTA?

Is there a link to an easy summary of how the TV rights are currently divided up? Few bits I'm not clear on, ie how do TV rights in Ulster work, what about Scottish games etc

BBC NI have the rights for Ulsters games except those Sky chose, BBC Alba have rights to the Scottish games and TG4 have rights to Connacht, Leinster and Munster games. These again are all once Sky have had their pick

Very simple then

I guess its the challenge when the league covers 5 countries, each of which have different TV markets and broadcasters. One broadcaster just doesn't seem like it would work even in just UK and Ireland. Does BT Sport have a presence in Ireland?

It would work easily, Sky show the Premier League throughout the UK and Ireland and BT have a working relationship with Eir Sports who are said to getting the rights in Ireland

RugbyFan100 wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

RugbyFan100 wrote:
The Pro14 has bitten off more than it can chew in this respect, adding teams and splitting to conferences etc. The nightmare logistics involved with one single broadcaster showing it means that it's unlikely that 1 broadcaster goes for it.

Why?

Because, like sky sports have shown, they are not interested. The Pro14 should have done everything in it's power to convince Sky (and to a lesser extent BT Sports) to get exclusive rights. But instead they seemed to be chasing a solution that involved Eir Sports, and then think about the rest at a later date.

Time will tell if that was the right option. I don't think it is.

Sky don't want rugby anymore and BT only have so many channels to show rugby. The likes of Eir sports coming on board should be welcomed and who knows, it could be some other broadcaster. Eurosport were also interested. Their subscription is a lot lower than sky's so a rugby fan will save money!!!


At the end of the day, a new broadcaster is coming in to offer the pro14 more money. And if they turned down BBC's increased offer then thats good news.