new rugby fta deal for magners league

keith99

S4C and BBC Cymru Wales announce Magners deal
25/06/2009
S4C and BBC Cymru Wales have secured a new four-year deal to broadcast live action from Magners League games until 2014.
The renewed deal between the broadcasters and Celtic Rugby – which runs the Magners League – means that rugby fans in Wales will be able to watch live action of games featuring all of the four Welsh teams on Friday evenings on BBC Two Wales’ Scrum V Live and on Saturday evenings on S4C on Y Clwb Rygbi. Televised rugby action will also be available to watch again on S4C’s on-line service, s4/clic and the BBC websites for seven days after the first broadcast.
With the current contract in place until the end of season 2009/10, the new contract – which covers television, radio and online coverage – will run from season 2010/11 through to season 2013/14. BBC Wales and S4C have broadcast coverage of the competition since it was first established as the Celtic League in 2001.
S4C Content Editor Sport Geraint Rowlands said: “S4C is delighted to be broadcasting coverage of the Magners League for a further four years. We believe that the joint S4C/BBC Wales deal provides viewers with the comprehensive coverage that this growing competition merits. We will continue to provide top-quality live coverage of the league every weekend, normally on Saturdays, with our highly-respected presentation team.”
BBC Cymru Wales Head of Sport Geoff Williams said: “It’s fantastic that we will continue our relationship with Celtic Rugby to bring rugby fans the Magners League action that audiences love. The league is now well established as must-see TV, providing competition for Wales’ four rugby regions against the best that Ireland and Scotland have to offer. During the 2008/09 season, BBC Wales’s Scrum V rugby coverage reached 300,000 rugby fans each week and we think fans across Wales will agree it’s great news that BBC Wales coverage of the league will continue.”
John Hussey, Chairman of Celtic Rugby said: “I am delighted to announce the further renewal of the television contracts with BBC Wales and S4C, both of whom have been quality broadcast partners of a quality competition. A measure of the stature of the Magners League is that participating teams have won the Heineken Cup in three out of the last four seasons as well as providing four quarterfinalists in this year’s competition. In addition to this there were 11 players from Magners League teams in the starting British & Irish Lions side who played South Africa at the weekend as well as six players among the replacements, giving an indication of the growth of the competition. The renewal of these broadcast partnerships will continue to enhance the viewing experience and reputation of the league.”
S4C extends Heineken Cup broadcasting deal
19/06/2009
S4C is pleased to announce that it will continue to broadcast extensive terrestrial highlights of the Heineken Cup for a further five seasons.
The broadcaster has extended its deal with ERC, Heineken Cup tournament organisers, to provide free-to-air terrestrial highlights of rugby’s premier cup competition, up to and including the 2013/14 season.
S4C is currently the only UK terrestrial broadcaster showing highlights of the Heineken Cup. Its current deal runs until 2009-10, with the new agreement securing rights coverage for a further four years.

icdg

Unfortunately for those of us on cable, whether Setanta Ireland will be around give us coverage of the Magners League next season seems to be still up for debate.

Pity the Scots though, who now have no broadcaster covering the league at all - their only option is satellite to pick up BBC Wales and S4C (who both will naturally be covering Welsh teams primarily, and presumably commentary on S4C is in Welsh - is there a red button option for English commentary?). If Setanta Ireland goes belly-under (but that's a story for a different thread) that may be the only option for Irish rugby fans.

mike65

Cant belive TG4 at least wouldn't spot this as a cheap enough option for Friday/Saturday nights.

snaps

Thats a great deal for S4c again. they are coming up trumps for rugby.

Elmo

mike65 wrote: »

Cant belive TG4 at least wouldn't spot this as a cheap enough option for Friday/Saturday nights.

They had it for several years before Setanta Ireland bought the rights. Also when are the Irish rights up for renewal? What about TV3 or RTÉ?

Foggy43

Again I think we are waiting to see if Setanta have Magners League next season?

NTC

icdg wrote: »

presumably commentary on S4C is in Welsh - is there a red button option for English commentary?).

Yep, red button and select English on S4C. It how I watched the rugby last season. They have good coverage.

ScrubsfanChris

It seems that Setanta have got a new two year contract: (Link to Rugby Forum)

http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055619776

Elmo

Setanta Sports 1 needs to close and Setanta Ireland needs to become available on all basic packages on all cable and satellite subscriptions. Eventually becoming FTA on DTT.

I think that is the first time I have succinctly said that.