The Six Nations Championship is a top-level tournament on the calendar of rugby union, thrilling audiences across England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France, and Italy. Within the UK, the competition has traditionally been open to the general public through free-to-air (FTA) broadcasters such as the BBC and ITV.

However with the current broadcasting deal running through 2025, there has been an intensification of discussions over the future of these rights, raising uncertainties over the visibility of the competition to the wider public.

The BBC is a veteran incumbent of broadcasting the Six Nations, and it provides comprehensive coverage, which has become synonymous with the tournament itself. Between 2003 and 2015, exclusive rights were held by the BBC, broadcasting all of the matches live on its flagship channels. In 2016, a new deal commenced, where the BBC and ITV shared broadcast responsibilities. This agreement had all games remain to be hosted on FTA platforms, Scotland and Wales home matches on the BBC, and England, France, Ireland, and Italy home matches on ITV. The agreement was renewed in 2021 for the term until the end of the 2025 championship.

As the 2025 deadline approaches, reports have emerged that the Six Nations might move to pay-TV channels. TNT Sports, formerly BT Sport, has emerged as a favorite to assume the broadcasting rights from 2026. This would be a radical departure from the history of the tournament being watched for free by UK audiences.

The financial dynamics of such a potential shift are important. The future rights are reported to be worth £100 million per year, a sum that is a challenge for FTA broadcasters with budget constraints. This added cost may render it difficult for institutions like the BBC and ITV to compete in bidding, thereby paving the way for subscription channels to purchase exclusive rights.

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