TNT Sports is believed to have expressed interest in acquiring broadcasting rights for the Six Nations, but acknowledges the challenges posed by the tournament's historic free-to-air status.

• The current £90 million BBC-ITV deal expires after 2025, with a new agreement potentially worth £100 million.

• The Six Nations is a Category B event, meaning it can be shown on pay-TV, but highlights must remain free-to-air. This limits potential exclusivity, making a full pay-TV takeover difficult.

• The tournament has historically been free-to-air, drawing an average UK audience of 4.5 million per match. Fans fear a move to pay-TV could shrink viewership, limit accessibility, and impact grassroots rugby.

• TNT is building a strong rugby portfolio, already holding Premiership Rugby and the Autumn Nations Series.

Why It Matters:

For fans, shifting the Six Nations behind a paywall risks shrinking its audience and alienating casual viewers. Rugby’s strength—especially in the UK and Ireland—lies in its broad accessibility, and limiting exposure could have knock-on effects on grassroots participation and long-term fan growth.

From a commercial standpoint, a pay-TV deal may generate short-term media revenue, but some industry experts warn that the trade-off could be lower sponsorship value. With brands paying a premium for eyeballs and engagement, reducing audience scale could ultimately cancel out any financial gains or even leave the competition worse off in the long run.