Premiership Rugby launch streaming service

Premiership Rugby has launched a new streaming service to allow fans to watch matches that are not televised.

The English top flight’s governing body has announced details of its PRTV Live platform and the service will be available from round 18, which is on 25-27 February.

The pay-per-view service has separate charges for a single match or a round pass, and only those matches not being broadcast by BT Sport or ITV will be available. A match pass will be £4.99 and a round pass – for all Gallagher Premiership games over a weekend – is slated at £6.99.

This comes after Premiership Rugby agreed a new broadcast deal with ITV. The channel will be showing selected matches this season as well as a highlights show. BT Sport will also continue to show live games from each round of the Premiership.

“Through this new platform, we want to create a deeper relationship with our current fans,” said Simon Massie-Taylor, chief executive officer at Premiership Rugby. “They have asked us for this service to make the game as accessible as possible to new supporters. Having every match available to watch live is a crucial step forward for us.

“With ten million rugby fans in England, PRTV Live will allow us to showcase the best of Gallagher Premiership Rugby to the widest possible audience, expanding our reach into the households of millions of other rugby fans.”

The first games to be streamed on the Premiership Rugby app will be Bristol Bears v Wasps and Sale Sharks v London Irish on 25 February. This will be followed by Leicester Tigers v Gloucester Rugby and Newcastle Falcons v Bath on 26 February, with matches available to purchase via premiershiprugby.com from 21 February. From 25 March, PRTV Live will also be available via desktop.

Let us know what you think about this new streaming service by emailing rugbyworldletters@futurenet.com

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