Rugby union backed over TV rights

THE pressure on Communications Minister Eamon Ryan to abandon his plans to designate Six Nations and Heineken Cup matches to be shown on free-to-air television has increased after an Oireachtas committee came out in support of the IRFU being allowed to continue to negotiate deals on TV rights with broadcasters.

The Irish Rugby Football Union yesterday received widespread cross-party support from members of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Sport.

The committee passed a motion in favour of the IRFU retaining its independence to deal with TV stations in the way it sees best serves the game.

The committee also said it would request Sports Minister, Mary Hanafin, to make its views known to the Cabinet.

The vast majority of TDs and senators including former sports minister, John O’Donoghue, criticised Mr Ryan’s free-to-air plans on the basis that it would deprive Irish rugby of vital revenue.

However, the proposals were defended by Green Party senator, Dan Boyle who said there was widespread concern about the prospect of Ireland’s Six Nations matches only being shown on pay-per-view channels in future.

Meanwhile, the IRFU tackled critics who doubted its claim that it would lose €11m if the minister presses ahead with his proposal.

IRFU chief executive, Philip Browne, told the committee that the current deals on TV rights for both rugby tournaments meant the IRFU was a net beneficiary of revenue.

He revealed the IRFU receives an annual total of €16m from TV rights for the two main European competitions – €11m for the Six Nations and €5m for the Heineken Cup – representing 24% of the IRFU’s annual revenue.

However, Mr Browne said that Irish TV stations only contributed €5m towards the €104m total cost of acquiring TV rights for both tournaments.

Thus, the IRFU received €11m in net benefit from the current TV arrangements whereby the IRFU – in conjunction with the other rugby authorities in Britain, France and Italy – agrees a deal with the organisers of the Six Nations Championship and Heineken Cup.

“Ireland punches well above its weight in terms of its financial returns from both tournaments and nowhere is this more evident that in the distribution of TV rights revenues,” said Mr Browne.

Mr Browne also warned that the consequences of losing its revenue stream might be Ireland’s best players moving abroad and the disbandment of the Connacht team.

John Feehan, chief executive of Six Nations Rugby, said it would always have a preference for its tournament being shown on free-to-air television but commercial reality meant there needed to be a competitive market for TV rights. Mr Feehan said the minister’s proposals represented “a very serious problem”.

Earlier this week, Mr Ryan announced that he would be appointing consultants to examine submissions made as part of an ongoing consultation process.

The minister said he expected to make a final decision on the free-to-air issue by the autumn.