Rugby: beIN Sports and France Télévisions extend their TV rights to the European cups (2018-2022)

The pay-TV group beIN Sports France and the public, free-TV group France Télévisions have extended their rights, valid in France, to broadcast the European Rugby Cups for the 2018-2022 period, announced the European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) federation on 24/05/2017. The amount of the agreement has not been communicated but corresponds to a "considerable growth in revenues."

"France 2 retains the right to broadcast the first-choice match of the round on Sunday afternoons, whilst France 4 will continue to show their first-choice match from the Challenge Cup on Saturday evenings throughout the season," said the French public TV group on 24/05/2017. beIN Sports will retain the entire rights to the two premier competitions. These rights were already acquired for the 2014-2018 cycle on 02/09/2014. The pay-TV group could spend €17m per year during this cycle. "Moreover, it has been agreed that discussions can be initiated between beIN Sports and France Télévisions to further increase the exposure of the tournaments on free-to-air television," said EPCR on 24/05/2017.

The public group…