Champions Cup matches to be shown live on free to air channels next season

Rugby fans have gotten a huge boost as Champions Cup games are set to be live on free to air channels next season.

The news will be welcomed by rugby fans up and down the country as a deal is being struck to show champions cup rugby matches on free to air channels. The deal will see Channel 4 and TV3 both get at least one match from each of the six pool stage games and it may also include some of the knockout stages, according to The Telegraph. This is the first time since 2006 that Champions Cup rugby will be shown on free to air channels. The tournament's rights are currently being shared by BT Sport and Sky Sports, with BT holding the majority of the rights until 2022. EPCR are the tournaments organisers and they have been keen on selling some rights to free to air channels to enhance the tournament's reputation and boost the profile of the Champions Cup. The negotiations are currently in the difficult phase of picking out which weekend these free to air games will be on. This is not going to be a stumbling block and an announcement is expected next month. The last live Champions Cup game shown in Ireland was the 2006 final. BT are happy for free to air stations to receive some matches as they believe it could lead to new subscribers for the channel. This news will be welcomed by rugby fans as they can now enjoy the Champions Cup from their comforts of their home, for free.