ESPN secures three-year deal with Premier Rugby

ESPN have added the Guinness Premiership to their expanding portfolio of live sport after agreeing a three-year deal with competition organisers Premier Rugby.

The new agreement comes into force at the start of next season and will see ESPN broadcast 43 matches exclusively live, including one semi-final and the Premiership final.

Sky Sports will show 26 live games, more than doubling the number of televised Premiership matches from 33 this season to 69.

ESPN have taken over the broadcasting arrangement Premier Rugby had originally struck with Setanta before the channel’s British arm folded last summer.

Premier Rugby’s original joint-agreement with Setanta and Sky Sports was worth £54 million.

ESPN entered the British sports broadcasting market in June.

The Disney-owned station was awarded the rights to 46 Barclays Premier League matches that were forfeited by Setanta.

Last week, ESPN signed a £35m four-year deal to broadcast the FA Cup and yesterday they added the Guinness Premiership to their sporting roster.

The agreement also provides internet rights for use on ESPN’s digital media, such as ESPNScrum.com.