Rugby: Chinese public group CCTV acquires TV rights to the Aviva Premiership (2017-2021)

The Chinese public television group CCTV has acquired, for China, the broadcasting rights to the Aviva Premiership for four years, the 2017-2021 period, said Premiership Rugby on 21/12/2017. This agreement was signed via RDA, the official agency of the body in charge of the English professional rugby.

Leicester Tigers - Saracens RFC (17-29) was the first match broadcast on the sports channel CCTV5+ on Sunday 24/12/2017 (15:00 local time). "In partnership with Beijing Elite Rugby, which will offer comments in Mandarin, CCTV5 + will broadcast at least 25 matches of Aviva Premiership in the 2017 season as well as the semi-finals and the final." Prior to that, the 2015 Rugby World Cup was the only rugby tournament to be broadcast in China, "said Premiership Rugby.

"This is a very significant day in the history of Premiership Rugby. Launching on free to air TV in China is part of our strategic goal of increasing the global impact of Premiership Rugby and helping to grow the game in new countries around the world. CCTV5+ reaches 400 million households and this will lead to a huge…