Premiership Rugby announces new partnership with BT Sport

Aviva Premiership Rugby will be broadcast on BT Sport for the next six seasons in a new TV deal, it has been announced.

The deal will see live broadcast rights for up to 80 live matches per season from Premiership Rugby for four years starting from the 2017-18 season.

The agreement also covers extended highlights rights for all 135 Premiership Rugby matches per season from 2015-16 and live broadcast rights to matches from the entire Singha Premiership Rugby 7s Series until the end of the 2020-21 season.

“BT Sport has been a fantastic partner for English club rugby so we are delighted that we have been able to extend our relationship with them for a further four years,” said Mark McCafferty, the chief executive of Premiership Rugby. “This is the longest TV agreement in the history of Premiership Rugby.

“In the 18 months we have been on-air with them our live TV audiences have grown by 50 per cent so it is clear that the partnership is going from strength to strength.”

As partners, BT Sport will also work with Premiership Rugby to develop a “community rugby programme” and continue to market English club rugby.