Sub-Licensing Agreement Will See RTE Broadcast 14 Live RWC 2019 Matches
eir Sport and RTE today announced that a sub-licensing agreement has been reached between the two broadcasters in relation to Rugby World Cup 2019. As the primary rights holders, eir Sport will broadcast all 48 games live, including all of Ireland’s matches, and a daily highlights show.
Today’s announcement sees RTÉ secure TV rights to broadcast 14 live matches. This will include all of Ireland’s games, all knockout stages and the final, as well as 16 nights of highlights.
RTÉ’s 14 live games and 16 nights of highlights will be broadcast free-to-air on RTÉ 2 and also on RTÉ Player live and on-demand *. Beginning with Ireland v Scotland, all of Ireland’s pool games will be broadcast live as well as all knockout and final placing matches, including the final on Saturday, November 2.
Susan Brady, Managing Director of eir Sport, commented: “There has never been such an exciting time in Irish rugby and, following the recent win against the All Blacks, we’re heading to Japan with a real chance of lifting the Webb Ellis trophy. eir Sport will be there every step of the way with all 48 games live, including every Ireland game and the knockout stages.
“We are delighted to have come to this agreement with RTÉ which again shows the changing nature of the sports broadcasting landscape in Ireland where we’re happy to work together to give Irish sports fans the best possible choice and content.”
Declan McBennett, Group Head, RTÉ Sport, said: “The Rugby World Cup looks set to be a very exciting tournament next autumn and we are delighted to come to this agreement with eir Sport to ensure that Irish audiences have a free-to-air front row seat to such significant games including all of Ireland’s games, the knockout stages and the final, on TV and online.”
eir Sport won the rights to the tournament back in 2016 as part of an extensive rugby offering which included last year’s Women’s Rugby World Cup, the annual World Rugby Under-20 Championship and the 2018 Rugby World Cup Sevens. eir Sport also broadcasts every game from the GUINNESS PRO14 and the Heineken Champions Cup through the eir Sport pack which is available for free to eir broadband customers.
The seven-channel eir Sport pack includes eir Sport 1, eir Sport 2, BT Sport 1, BT Sport 2, BT Sport 3, BoxNation and BT Sport ESPN. The eir Sport pack is available on eir Vision, on the eir sport App, on Vodafone TV and on Sky in the Republic of Ireland. eir broadband residential customers can receive the eir Sport pack for free. For more information on eir Sport, visit www.eirsport.ie.
* Live matches and highlights programmes will be available for a seven-day catch-up period on RTÉ Player from midnight each evening.