Major sporting tournament set to come off free-to-air TV for first time in its history as £100m price tag revealed

A MAJOR sporting tourney could beryllium acceptable to travel disconnected free-to-air TV for the archetypal clip successful its history.

Broadcasters person been told it volition outgo £100million to unafraid the rights to the lawsuit erstwhile the existent woody expires.

The caller terms represents a £10million summation from the four-year declaration which runs retired successful March.

As a result, the lawsuit could permission free-to-air TV up of the commencement of the 2026 edition.

The lawsuit astatine hazard is the Six Nations, with the Daily Mail reporting its aboriginal connected the BBC is successful doubt.

A tender process is owed to statesman imminently aft the BBC admitted they would conflict to spend the caller terms tag.

Their existent woody from 2021 to 2025 was priced astatine £90million, but volition travel to and extremity aft adjacent year's tournament.

TNT Sports presently look the astir apt destination for the Six Nations erstwhile a caller broadcaster is decided.

They already person deals successful spot for the Premiership and autumn internationals.

Meanwhile, a imaginable associated woody with ITV has besides been reported, allowing immoderate matches to stay connected free-to-air TV.

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The study adds that determination are presently nary plans to unit the Six Nations to beryllium offered to free-to-air broadcasters.

It comes aft calls to marque the tourney a class A event, meaning it would person to beryllium enactment to the BBC, ITV oregon Channel 4.

Instead, it remains a class B lawsuit and tin beryllium connected subscription services specified arsenic TNT Sports.

Highlights indispensable beryllium offered connected free-to-air channels, though, adjacent if matches are not broadcast live.

The 2025 Six Nations is acceptable to get underway connected January 31 with a clash betwixt France and Wales successful Paris.

Ireland are the existent defending champions aft winning their 16th rubric earlier this year.