World Rugby has announced details of an "extensive broadcast partnership" with U.K. commercial broadcaster ITV that will see it "exclusively showcase World Rugby’s biggest 15s properties," according to ADVANCED TELEVISION. Under the deal, ITV will perform the role of U.K. rights-holding broadcaster for Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan and the 2023 Rugby World Cup. The agreement also features Women’s Rugby World Cup 2017 in Ireland and the annual World Rugby U20 Championship from '17-19, "representing the first time that two of the sport’s most exciting properties will be available on free-to-air platforms" (ADVANCED TELEVISIONS, 2/6). Rugby World Cup 2015 was the most widely viewed rugby event ever. The live audience for Rugby World Cup 2015 increased by 48% over the previous edition in New Zealand, with live viewership through 106 broadcasters reaching nearly 724 million homes worldwide. In the U.K., host broadcaster ITV achieved peak audiences reaching 11.5 million for England's matches against Fiji, Wales and Australia and the final. The total U.K. three-minute reach was 40.2 million, while the 15-minute reach was just under 34 million (ITV).
