If Rugby World Cups are no longer to be shown on free-to-air TV in the U.K., the change in broadcaster would "represent a clear threat to the health of the game in the home unions," according to Owen Slot of the LONDON TIMES. Precedent shows that England is "getting close to a point where it is hiding too much rugby union from free-to-air viewers." However, putting the World Cup on pay-TV "is a risk" over which the Rugby Football Union has no control. Friday is the deadline for bids from broadcasters "hoping to win the the rights to the next World Cup in Japan" in '19 and in this next round of rights sales, "it looks more likely than ever that they will be won" by a pay-TV broadcaster. England's autumn int'l matches have "long been shown on Sky" and its Six Nations games on BBC. However, experience in other sports "shows that by taking the TV coverage off free-to-air has the effect of taking the game away from potential new audiences." The fall in cricket participation since England games left Channel 4 in '05 has "become a crisis for the game." This is a blueprint that rugby union "should be desperate to avoid." The destination of World Cup TV rights, however, "is out of the RFU’s hands." The RFU would not stand to gain from the World Cup TV rights going to Sky or BT because "the revenue goes to World Rugby." They are "World Rugby’s rights to sell." The RFU’s sole interest, therefore, "is in maximising its audience, which means ITV." World Rugby "has different priorities." The World Cup brings in 90% of its revenue, so maximizing TV sales by selling to a pay-TV channel "makes sense" (LONDON TIMES, 2/18).
