Last season's Investec Champions Cup final between Leinster and Toulouse drew an attendance of 61,531 to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan
EPCR has announced that Premier Sports will join its suite of TV partners for the coming seasons, as the lead broadcaster of the Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup in the UK and Ireland, following a thorough and competitive process.
The three-year agreement, which will run until the conclusion of the 2026/27 season, will see Premier Sports cover all 63 Investec Champions Cup matches, as well as two EPCR Challenge Cup pool games per round, two EPCR Challenge Cup round of 16 clashes, and all the fixtures from the quarter-finals onwards.
Premier Sports is fast becoming a major operator in the rugby landscape, broadcasting 20 EPCR Challenge Cup matches across the 2023/24 season, and also being the UK broadcaster for the Top 14 and the BKT United Rugby Championship.
In its six-year partnership with URC to date, Premier Sports has hosted more than 900 live rugby fixtures, showing every game live including each season’s final.
Premier Sports’ comprehensive rugby coverage runs alongside other sports and leagues, including rights to La Liga, Scottish football, Copa Italia, DFB Pokal, NHL, and NASCAR.
In addition, Premier Sports is planning to create and launch a 24/7 rugby channel, at the very heart of which will sit the Investec Champions Cup and the EPCR Challenge Cup.
Jacques Raynaud, CEO of EPCR, said: “Premier Sports has huge ambition to become the home of club rugby in the UK and Ireland, along with their rights to the Top 14 and URC competitions.
“We are delighted to join them on this journey and tremendously excited to help them reach new heights by bringing the very best of elite club rugby to UK and Ireland audiences.
“In addition to the match day coverage, the creation of a 24/7 rugby channel represents a step-change in Premier Sports rugby coverage.
“The Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup will be at the heart of this new offering, led by key rugby personalities including Stephen Ferris, John Barclay, Tom Shanklin, and Ryan Wilson.
“Furthermore, we have been able to work with Premier Sports to ensure new fixture times for English clubs, avoiding clashes with Premier League football to maximise viewing.
“We have worked with the team at Premier Sports for many years both on the EPCR Challenge Cup in the UK and Ireland, and as our broadcaster in Asia.
“We have been very impressed with their commitment and ability to raise the profile and production of URC coverage to exciting new levels, and we look forward to working with them as EPCR continues the ambitious growth of its competitions.”
Mickey O’Rourke, founding Managing Director of Premier Sports, commented: “We are delighted and proud to bring the world’s greatest international club rugby competition to our customers in the UK and Ireland.
“Our exciting new TV partnership with EPCR, and the marquee offering of all 63 Investec Champions Cup games live in the UK and Ireland, complements our existing URC and Top 14 coverage and shows our innovation, ambition, and growth as a broadcaster.
“We will now provide the most comprehensive club rugby coverage available across the UK and Ireland with 80 top European rugby fixtures, 151 URC games across five rugby nations, and 110 Top 14 games live – making Premier Sports the destination for any rugby fan – and we will be driving significant investment into raising the profile of EPCR’s competitions to new and existing audiences.
“Every week will be rugby week at Premier Sports, with a stellar talent line-up of top pundits, presenters, and commentators leading our coverage.
“We will look to mirror the pride, passion, and excitement that EPCR, players, teams, and supporters invest in European rugby every season and bring fans closer to the action and the game’s star players.
“We are equally excited to welcome new rugby customers to Premier Sports and will be offering affordable annual and monthly subscription offers to support all rugby fans.”
The 2024/25 EPCR season kicks off on the weekend of December 6/7/8, and promises to be an unforgettable one for rugby fans, with Premier Sports providing unparalleled access to the elite competitions of elite international club rugby.
Both the Investec Champions Cup and the EPCR Challenge Cup will feature the top teams and the most exciting talent, ensuring Premier Sports viewers will have access to three seasons of unmissable rugby action.
Round 1 – December 6/7/8
Round 2 – December 13/14/15
Round 3 – January 10/11/12
Round 4 – January 17/18/19
Round of 16 – April 4/5/6
Quarter-finals – April 11/12/13
Semi-finals – May 2/3/4
2025 EPCR Challenge Cup final – Principality Stadium, Cardiff; Friday, May 23
2025 Investec Champions Cup final – Principality Stadium, Cardiff; Saturday, May 24
Tickets for the Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup finals are available now, with Destinations Champions Club also offering limited travel packages through which fans can access match tickets, accommodation, and exclusive experiences to make the ultimate rugby weekend even more memorable.
For more information and to purchase tickets, please click here.
Premier Sports is available in the UK on the Sky platform, channels 419 and 420, from £10.99 per month which includes free access to Premier Sports streaming service, on Virgin at channels 551 and 552, and on Amazon Prime as an add-on subscription.
Premier Sports also streams online via dedicated apps on a wide range of devices and platforms, including iOS and Android smartphones and tablets, PC and Mac, Fire TV and Chromecast, LG Smart TVs, and Android TV enabled devices, with a range of subscription options available also from just £10.99 per month.
In the Republic of Ireland, Premier Sports is available as part of the ‘Sports Extra’ Pack on Sky, Now, Virgin Media, and Vodafone.
Premier Sports is also available in thousands of pubs, clubs, and hotels in the UK via a commercial subscription. Visit https://www.premiersports.com/gb/commercial-zone-page/business-subscribers for more information.
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