Row brews with ERC over Premier Rugby European TV deal

Last updated on .From the section Rugby Unioncomments335

Heineken Cup

The body that organises the Heineken Cup has questioned the validity of BT Vision's new television deal with England's top clubs.

BT announced it had won the rights to broadcast the Premiership from next season, as well as English clubs in European matches from 2014.

But European Rugby Cup (ERC) says it has already given exclusive coverage of European matches to BSkyB.

Premier Rugby, which advises English clubs, insists its contract is valid.

Premier Rugby's new agreement with BT, divided into a deal to show Premiership rugby from next season and European club rugby from the start of the 2014-15 campaign, is worth up to £152m.

However, ERC insists it has also agreed a deal with BSkyB for exclusive coverage of European club rugby from the start of the 2014-15 season.

ERC claims that Premier Rugby's European deal with BT is "in breach both of International Rugby Board regulations and of a mandate from the ERC Board itself".

An ERC statement continued: "European club rugby's six participant unions have granted the authority to sell broadcast rights to its tournaments solely to ERC.

"It was unanimously agreed at an ERC Board meeting on 6 June, 2012 that ERC would conclude a new four-year agreement with Sky Sports. Premiership Rugby was party to that decision."

But Premier Rugby argues that ERC's right to negotiate broadcast deals on behalf of unions is only valid until 2014.

"On 27 July, 2012, ERC was reminded of this in writing and this was copied to Sky Sports," it said in a statement.

"We also note ERC's reference to its board meeting on 6 June, 2012. No specific broadcast deal was presented or voted on at this or any subsequent ERC board meeting. In any case, any such deal could not have included matches involving Premiership Rugby clubs.

"ERC's suggestion that Premiership Rugby may be in breach of IRB regulations is wrong."

There has been long-running tension between the ERC and English and French clubs, who have announced they will pull out of ERC once the current agreement governing their participation runs out at the end of the 2013-14 season.

This effectively means they are withdrawing from the Heineken Cup after the 2014 final, although the planned move has been seen as a negotiating tactic.

This is because both the French and English clubs want changes to the way European rugby union's blue riband club tournament, in which Irish province Leinster are the current champions, is run.

They want a new system that would reduce the number of RaboDirect Pro12 teams that qualify for the Heineken Cup, removing the current guarantee that leads to Scotland, Ireland, Wales and Italy all being ensured representation.

There is no relegation from the Pro12 and the English and French sides argue this gives Irish teams, in particular, an advantage, because they can rest players for league matches to keep them fresh for Europe without facing any real consequences.

Comments

Join the conversation

These comments are now closed.

335 comments

  • Comment posted by U14597945, at 13:51 13 Sep 2012

    The sooner the "Greedy" English club orientated system is dismantled and the infinitely more successful approach used by New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Wales, Ireland and Scotland is adopted, the sooner England and France will become more adept on the International front. The RFU needs to take back control !

  • Comment posted by 99call, at 10:09 13 Sep 2012

    beshocked I would never underestimate any team in the Hcup these days thats why it is the best club comp in the world, just getting a bit sick of we're not winning anymore so change the rules attitude from france and england

    we all used to be happy when we got an italian side it was a sure 10 points but not if you get Treviso now so its more competitive no one is sure of getting out of a group

  • Comment posted by spurs_surfer, at 10:01 13 Sep 2012

    Well this deal effectively means I wont be watching Prem Rugby on TV anymore, im not paying anymore for equipment or extra channels... The clubs may effectively receive more money from BT but the TV viewership will nose dive!

  • Comment posted by Some Lingering Fog, at 23:34 12 Sep 2012

    1. Erik the Viking

    This is an awful decision. Who has BT Vision? Compare that to the huge numbers of people who have Sky and ESPN. Premiership Rugby will likely lose thousands of viewers, and Sky and ESPN will lose thousands of subscribers. Terrible idea all round.

    --

    The sport isn't interested in the viewers just the amount of money it can squeeze from the TV rights.

  • Comment posted by U15090238, at 23:23 12 Sep 2012

    I agree , I'd happily ditch sky purely because of Stuart Barnes and Morris !! And the fact that that + Espn is a rip off

  • Comment posted by U15423886, at 14:41 13 Sep 2012

    We are caretakers of the game and have an obligation to try and grow it wherever and whenever we can. For the sake of the game we need to give 2nd and 3rd tier countries an opportunity to earn a seat at the table. Italy are getting stronger as their players are exposed to top level competition.This makes the 6 Nations even better and more saleable - whilst growing the game!

  • Comment posted by U14794202, at 10:49 13 Sep 2012

    How about for the next world cup we exclude all teams bar England and France, because other countries have unfair advantage, I mean new Zealand play it as there number one sport, that's just not fair..... boohoo.

    The English clubs are making themselves look like spoilt children. Time to grow up I think...

  • Comment posted by veejay44, at 10:21 13 Sep 2012

    70.beshocked

    Connacht only qualify for the Heineken Cup if an Irish team win the trophy. If English clubs got off their fat backsides and made some effort to win the Heineken Cup then Connacht wouldn't be there!! And Gloucester obviously didn't take the Premiership too seriously last season as they finished ninth!!

  • Comment posted by Geno, at 09:27 13 Sep 2012

    If the Welsh, Irish, Scottish and Italian leagues were not combined, the number of teams represented in the HC by each country would be relative to the quality of the league, as is seen in football. So, why are the English and French trying to punish the Pro 12 teams for having a combined league? Let the IRB decide how many teams from each country should be represented depending on quality. End of

  • Comment posted by lifelongrugbyfan, at 23:48 12 Sep 2012

    If the English and French clubs want fairness then each union should be limited to 3 clubs plus the winners of the two cups. This would give Sco and Ita the option to create a 3rd pro club each.

    Money is the main reason behind this with the RaboPro clubs having more of the money due to their success. Fewer RaboPro clubs will mean that the Eng/Fre clubs have a better chance to progress to the QF.

  • Comment posted by Huw, at 23:18 13 Sep 2012

    The English and French are right, it is not a level playing field...Their wage bills are at least 5x the size of any of the Rabo teams!

  • Comment posted by wooodsey, at 17:20 13 Sep 2012

    English arrogance again. I remember when they wanted to play Southern Hemisphere teams because they thought the Celtic Nations weren't good enough.

  • Comment posted by 99call, at 09:52 13 Sep 2012

    Hcup qualification was never an issue when the english and french teams won it every year and plucky Munster got so close,

    Lets be honest english club rugby isnt what it used to be when Quins cant even beat Connacht the so called irish development province

    Change the qualification to the top 6 or 8 you'll still get all the irish teams and you'll still lose

  • Comment posted by Rallyman, at 23:33 12 Sep 2012

    Whatever happened having a choice of viewing? I'm sick of exclusive deals because they are literally 'exclusive' (as in excluding...) to so many genuine fans. Let Sky and BT be judged on the strength of their coverage not the size of their wallet.

  • Comment posted by U14990012, at 23:02 12 Sep 2012

    Buffy the Blazer at English clubs wants to see a predictable Leicester v Toulose final every year. But rugby fans want to watch Connaught beat Harlequins and Edinburgh beat Toulouse. If English clubs can't reach the finals we all have to change the rules so they can.

  • Comment posted by Erik the Viking, at 22:43 12 Sep 2012

    This is an awful decision. Who has BT Vision? Compare that to the huge numbers of people who have Sky and ESPN. Premiership Rugby will likely lose thousands of viewers, and Sky and ESPN will lose thousands of subscribers. Terrible idea all round.

  • Comment posted by U13860838, at 09:42 14 Sep 2012

    Once again the french and enlgish aren't having it all their own way, so instead of making changes too their system, which isn't working, they try and force the rest of us too change.

    Bad sportsmanship at the highest level. You agreed to the terms, now you're not winning, you want it changed. My heart bleeds for you.

  • Comment posted by Bath_BTGOG, at 08:45 14 Sep 2012

    "The English and French are right, it is not a level playing field...Their wage bills are at least 5x the size of any of the Rabo teams!"

    Thats not true.

  • Comment posted by U9363407, at 22:54 13 Sep 2012

    The English left the tournament before in 99, they came back with tails between their legs the next year. Just make an offer the French can't refuse and wait for the English clubs to come back.

  • Comment posted by LionsNoel, at 22:29 13 Sep 2012

    The H Cup is the greatest club competition in the world. It has packed stadiums, passion, top quality standard of rugby and despite what anyone says, the TV coverage is also top class.

    This is nothing more than sour grapes and money grabbing from the premiership. If you want to sort it then centrally contract your players. Get it sorted!

Top Stories