Live Pro14 rugby will not be shown by BBC Wales next season, in a "major blow" to the corporation, according to Rob Lloyd of WALES ONLINE. The BBC "failed to come to terms" on a new agreement for the cross-border tournament, which is reportedly set to welcome pay-TV broadcaster Premier Sports. BBC 2 Wales currently shows a live regional game each weekend. The BBC also provides "extensive radio coverage of the competition." However, despite what it said was a "significantly increased financial bid," it has not been able to secure rights. Pro14 said that it is "unable to confirm" its broadcast partners "while commercial negotiations are ongoing" but BBC Wales said in a statement, "We know there will be a real disappointment at this outcome among hundreds of thousands of rugby fans who have enjoyed live free-to-air coverage on the BBC over many years." The BBC hopes to "offer a highlights package on a Sunday evening" and said that it will seek "discussions with tournament bosses." Welsh-language channel S4C is "hoping to continue" its coverage of live rugby, although it did not comment. The inclusion of South African sides Cheetahs and Southern Kings "increased television revenue this season" (WALES ONLINE, 3/6). The BBC's Huw Thomas reported rugby journalist Peter Jackson said, "Any sport needs to be very careful about moving onto pay-TV. If you take sport away from free-to-air, you lose audiences, and you lose the opportunities for young people to access those sports" (BBC, 3/6).
