The 2026 Six Nations Championship kicked off with a bold and controversial change to its live television coverage: adverts shown during the match itself. For the first time, ITV — one of the UK’s key broadcasters of the tournament — has introduced split-screen advertising during live gameplay, a move that has ignited passionate reactions from fans, pundits, and the wider rugby community.

Traditionally, live sports broadcasts in the UK have kept commercials confined to halftime, pre-game, and post-game breaks. Rugby supporters in particular are accustomed to uninterrupted play on screen, valuing the rhythm and flow that reflects the sport’s physical drama. Yet, this year, ITV has opted to place two 20-second commercials in the heart of matches, specifically timed during natural stoppages in play just before scrums. While the left side of the screen continues to show live action with ambient stadium sound, the right side plays a standard advertisement with audio — a technique known as picture-in-picture advertising.

From ITV’s perspective, this is a commercial evolution. Live sports rights, especially for marquee events like the Six Nations, are incredibly expensive. Selling mid-match ad inventory helps broadcasters offset these costs without increasing subscription fees for viewers. ITV has already signed major brands such as Samsung and Virgin Atlantic for the campaign, signaling advertiser confidence in the format’s visibility and novelty.

However, the real story from the opening rounds has been the fan backlash. Many supporters took to social media to express frustration, describing the ads as intrusive, American-style commercialisation that breaks the emotional and tactical intensity of the game. A scrum — a moment of raw physical contest and strategic reset — is hardly a “natural” moment for many fans to have attention drawn away from the pitch. Critics argue that even with live action remaining visible, the split focus and competing audio detract from the viewing experience.

Some traditionalists say that once live sport accepts in-game advertising, it sets a precedent that could expand further unless carefully regulated. Others, though critical, acknowledge that the economic realities of broadcasting might make innovation like this unavoidable. Without new revenue streams, free-to-air access to premium sports could diminish over time, pushing more matches behind paywalls.

This debate highlights a broader tension in sports media today: how to balance commercial needs with preserving the integrity of the viewing experience. Supporters of uninterrupted sport argue that part of rugby’s appeal is its organic flow — something that feels compromised when marketing elements are embedded within the live contest. Meanwhile, broadcasters and advertisers argue that modern audiences are accustomed to multitasking and can handle layered content.

As the Six Nations unfolds, all eyes will be on how this advertising experiment develops. Will ITV refine the approach in response to feedback? Will other broadcasters adopt similar tactics? And crucially, will fans ultimately accept or reject in-game ads as part of the evolving landscape of sports broadcasting?

One thing is clear: ITV’s decision has sparked a necessary conversation about how sport adapts to its commercial environment in the 21st century.