RTÉ Sport announced today (Friday 1 December, 2017) that it has retained the rights to broadcast the Guinness Series of Autumn Internationals for a further four years, until 2021, including next year’s visit of the All Blacks to the Aviva Stadium.
RTÉ has been awarded exclusive Irish free-to-air rights to the games across television, radio, online and mobile as part of a four year extension to their existing contract.
RTÉ Sport will also continue in its role as host broadcaster for television coverage of the International matches. All games will be live and exclusively free-to-air on RTÉ2, RTÉ Player and on RTÉ Radio.
RTÉ Player will also have 21 day catch-up of all games, as well as extras including interviews and analysis, while RTÉ.ie/Sport will have minute-by-minute match coverage alongside news, analysis and interviews.
The contract also incorporates the rights to broadcast Ireland’s U20 6 Nations matches and includes live coverage of the final stages of the Ulster Bank League alongside RTÉ2’s rugby magazine show Against The Head as part of RTÉ’s commitment to domestic rugby.
Ryle Nugent, Group Head of Sport, RTÉ, said: “I’m delighted that RTÉ has retained rights to the Guinness Series of Autumn Internationals until 2021 in addition to the final stages of the Ulster Bank League and Ireland taking on the All Blacks next year is set to be a great sporting occasion and RTÉ Sport look forward to sharing that, and many more enthralling fixtures over the next four years across television, radio, online and mobile”.
IRFU CEO Philip Browne said: “We are delighted to be working with RTÉ for the Guinness Series for the next four years. This year’s series featured three sold out games, each of which made for compelling viewing. Live sporting events are some of the only programmes that can continue to gather the entire family around the TV, so we are look forward to working with RTÉ to bring these big games into people’s living rooms each November.”
Friday 1 December, 2017
-ENDS-
Contact:
Sharon Brady, Senior Communications Manager, TV & Digital RTÉ
sharon.brady@rte.ie 087 6858975
Fergus McCormack, Press Officer, RTÉ fergus.mccormack@rte.ie 086 8674751
Note to Editor:
RTÉ Rugby Programming 2018
RTÉ 2 & RTÉ Player: Live Coverage of Women’s Six Nations, Under-20s Six Nations, final stage of Ulster Bank League & Cup and the Guinness Series as well as a series of Against the Head.
RTÉ Radio1: Saturday Sport & Sunday Sport featuring live coverage of the NatWest 6 Nations, Women’s Six Nations, European Rugby Champions Cup, and the Guinness Pro14.