Foxtel, Rugby Australia deal confirmed with New Zealand games also to be shown
Fox Sports and Rugby Australia have signed off on a revised broadcast deal for this year, paving the way for a revamped domestic competition to kick off on July 3 - five weeks behind the NRL.
It comes as Fox Sports announced it would also show the New Zealand competition in its entirety, which kicks off when the Highlanders host the Chiefs in Dunedin on Saturday afternoon.
An announcement around TV rights for Australia's domestic Super Rugby competition is imminent.Credit:Getty Images
Following the Herald’s report on Wednesday morning that a broadcast deal was imminent, RA has confirmed the news, with interim chief executive Rob Clarke paying “huge thanks” to long-time broadcaster Fox Sports for its support.
After weeks of negotiations, both parties have come to an agreement following the cancellation of Super Rugby for this year after seven rounds due to COVID-19.
RA confirmed a five-team competition will be played over 10 weeks - plus another two for a preliminary final and grand final - which will feature the NSW Waratahs, Melbourne Rebels, ACT Brumbies, Queensland Reds and Western Force. A full draw is set to be announced on Thursday.
The Reds will host the Waratahs at Suncorp Stadium on July 3, while the Brumbies will face the Rebels in Canberra the following evening.
The Force won’t begin their campaign until round two.
All matches will be played at closed venues for the time being, with RA to review its stance on crowds at a later date in line with government restrictions.
There had been a degree of concern among rugby administrators that Fox Sports would play hard-ball and not want to broadcast content for the remainder of the year but it appears Australian rugby will be back on television screens from July as planned.
Clarke and incoming chairman Hamish McLennan were tasked with nutting out the finer details with Fox Sports boss Patrick Delany.
However, the broadcast deal is only for the domestic product, with negotiations still to continue regarding how much money Fox Sports will pay for Tests on Australian soil later in the year.
It is unclear what reduced broadcast dollar figure RA has collected.
“A huge thanks goes to our broadcast partner of 25 years Fox Sports who have backed the revised competition format for 2020 and have delivered the best possible news to rugby fans across the country today,” Clarke said in a statement.
Meanwhile, rugby fans in Australia will breathe a sigh of relief after it was confirmed Fox Sports will also show Super Rugby Aotearoa, which is New Zealand’s own domestic competition, on its own channels and streaming platform Kayo.
Super Rugby Aotearoa will run the same format, with five teams, and has changed from afternoon to night-time kick-offs in response to broadcaster demand.
The change will be music to the ears of Australian fans who, after more than three months, will be able to watch a Saturday evening double-header when the Aussie competition starts.
“Rugby starved fans will be able to watch their favourite teams in viewer friendly timeslots each week,” said Fox Sports boss Peter Campbell. “Additionally, Foxtel has also reached an agreement to air the New Zealand Super Rugby Aotearoa competition, which starts this weekend, so rugby fans can settle in to watch more of the sport they love.”
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