ITV Will Not Try For 2003 Rugby World Cup Rights

ITV has decided not to submit a tender for the UK broadcasting rights for the next Rugby World Cup in 2003. The news comes despite the fact that the network’s advertising revenues received a major boost during the screening of last year’s tournament, as highlighted by research in brokers such as ABN AMRO (see ITV Yearly Advertising Forecast Downgraded Thanks To Dotcom Slowdown).

The decision ends an association with the Rugby World Cups which has seen ITV screen the previous three competitions. These took place in England during 1991, in South Africa in 1995 and in Wales in 1999. However, the host nations for 2003 of Australia and New Zealand have prompted the network’s decision to pull out.

“We looked long and hard at this, but time differences between the UK and the host nations, the structure of the competition and a number of conditions attached to the tender seriously limit the commercial viability of the tournament for ITV,” said an ITV spokesman.

The channel, which will continue to show England’s home rugby union games this season, says that it still has an ongoing commitment to “top class sport”, citing the examples of Formula One motor racing, UEFA Champion’s League football and the impending addition of next season’s Premiership football (see How The Premier League Will Cash-In On Kick-Offs).

ITV: 020 7843 8222

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