16th October 2008
Channel Nine and FOX SPORTS are pleased to announce an agreement with the International Rugby Board (IRB) to provide live television coverage of the Rugby World Cup in 2011 and 2015.
The IRB rights deal with FOX SPORTS encompasses all matches from the 2011 Rugby World Cup to be played in New Zealand and the 2015 Rugby World Cup (Venue TBC).
Channel Nine will bring free-to-air viewers all the action from the big games in the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand and again in 2015.
David Gyngell, CEO of Channel Nine, said “We are very happy to add these two big World Cups to our International Cricket World Cups and Rugby League World Cup and of course, the next two Olympic Games on Nine. Wide World of Sports on Nine is the home of big international and national sport and we are thrilled to have such a full program of events through to 2015.”
FOX SPORTS will broadcast live and national coverage of all matches from both tournaments. This agreement includes mobile and online rights for all matches for both events.
David Malone, CEO of FOX SPORTS said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Channel Nine and the IRB and are pleased to be able to provide our subscribers with live and national coverage of every match played as part of the 2011 and 2015 Rugby World Cups.
“In securing these rights, FOX SPORTS is again demonstrating our long term commitment to rugby union and to investing in premium content for our subscribers. FOX SPORTS has been the exclusive live Australian broadcaster of Super Rugby since it turned professional in 1996, as well as being the domestic host broadcaster of the Wallabies for the past 3 years and the subscription television broadcaster of the 1999, 2003 and 2007 Rugby World Cups.”
International Rugby Board Chairman, Bernard Lapasset, said: “The IRB is excited that it will be working with broadcasters FOX SPORTS and Channel Nine for Rugby World Cup 2011 and 2015. FOX SPORTS showed its commitment to Rugby World Cup in 2003 when it created a Rugby channel for the tournament and it has a proven pedigree in Rugby broadcasting. Channel Nine is renowned as a broadcaster of major events and will provide the free-to-air coverage of the tournament in Australia. This coverage means the Australian public will enjoy comprehensive, high quality coverage of Rugby World Cup which is now one of the world’s largest sports events.”
This announcement comes off the back of a record-breaking year for Rugby Union on FOX SPORTS. This year, game 1 of the Bledisloe Cup set a new subscription television (STV) rugby union audience and ranks as the #1 STV program for the year to date. The 2008 Super 14 also achieved record results this year with average audiences up 26% year on year.
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