England rugby fans face potential disappointment as the upcoming summer Test match against the US might not be televised domestically, with broadcasters showing no interest in securing the rights.
Traditional television networks have declined to air England’s international fixtures, creating a significant shift in how fans will access matches.
Sky Sports has agreed to broadcast the first two Tests of England’s summer tour in Argentina but has declined to bid for the US game. Instead, World Rugby is expected to stream the match live on RugbyPass, following a similar approach used for England’s summer Test against Japan last year, which attracted 500,000 sign-ups.
This move to digital platforms comes as part of a broader strategy to engage younger audiences who increasingly prefer streaming over traditional TV broadcasts. However, this change raises questions about accessibility for England rugby squad followers who have long relied on conventional television to watch fixtures.
Snubbed by broadcasting giants
The traditional broadcast landscape for England’s rugby internationals has dramatically shifted, with all major UK television networks turning down the opportunity to show the US match.
Sky Sports’ decision to decline bidding for the US Test comes as part of a concerning trend; Sky opted to cover England’s two Tests against New Zealand remotely last year rather than sending their own reporting team.
Meanwhile, TNT Sports and Premier Sports have shown similar disinterest in acquiring the rights for the US match.
The BBC and ITV, despite their long-standing coverage of the Six Nations, have their resources committed elsewhere. Additionally, the BBC is facing an increasing struggle to pay for expensive sports rights, subsequently losing all England men’s rugby matches from next season.
This rejection from all major networks has left USA Rugby, the event organisers, with nowhere to turn for traditional television coverage. The situation reflects broader challenges in rugby broadcasting, as networks reassess their commitment to the sport:
- Sky Sports has significantly reduced its rugby coverage, now focusing primarily on select summer Tests and British & Irish Lions tours
- TNT Sports has renewed its Gallagher Premiership deal but for approximately £7m less than its previous contract
- The Champions Cup and Challenge Cup tournaments for next season still lack a confirmed broadcaster
Furthermore, the overall market for rugby broadcasting rights appears to be contracting. TNT Sports has taken the Autumn Nations Series from Amazon Prime, yet remains hesitant about other rugby properties.
This unusual situation leaves the England rugby squad in unfamiliar territory.
Could World Rugby step in and save the day?
With traditional broadcasters stepping aside, World Rugby could move to fill the gap by offering the England rugby match against the US exclusively through its RugbyPass TV streaming platform.
This was the approach taken with England’s Test against Japan in 2024, which attracted an impressive 500,000 sign-ups.
RugbyPass TV, launched by World Rugby in August 2023 ahead of Rugby World Cup 2023, serves as the organisation’s first-ever global streaming service, designed specifically to connect rugby enthusiasts more deeply with the game they love—at no cost to viewers.
The platform offers substantial additional content, including over 10,000 hours of archive footage from past men’s and women’s Rugby World Cups. Moreover, RugbyPass features exclusive programming and interviews with top players.
What this means for the future of rugby broadcasting
The current broadcasting void for England rugby matches against the US highlights deeper trends reshaping how the sport will be consumed in the coming years. These developments reveal rugby’s struggle to maximise its commercial potential as well as strategic opportunities for growth.
Despite being the sixth largest sport in the UK with a 12 million fanbase, rugby generates significantly lower media rights values than comparable sports. The Six Nations earns approximately £50m from broadcast rights, whereas Formula 1 and cricket generate roughly four times more revenue despite similar interest levels.
Furthermore, the rugby sponsorship market declined by 6% between 2016-2019, contrasting sharply with football’s healthy 8% growth during the same period.
Nevertheless, encouraging signs exist. Premiership Rugby has attracted nearly one million new fans in the 18-34 age bracket over the last 12 months. Digital platforms are proving vital for reaching younger audiences. This shift aligns with broader media consumption trends, as broadcast TV experienced its steepest annual decline since records began, dropping from 83% in 2021 to 79% in 2022.
Amazon’s decision not to commission further rugby content offers sobering feedback about the challenges facing England rugby fixtures. Their assessment highlighted several concerns:
- The game is too complicated for casual fans
- Too many stoppages disrupt the viewing flow
- Rugby’s calendar appears cluttered and confusing
- Empty stadiums fail to drive viewer engagement
Yet amidst these challenges, positive developments have emerged. The Six Nations secured its future on free-to-air television until 2029 through a deal worth approximately £63m annually. Tom Harrison, Six Nations Chief Executive, emphasised that this balance of audience reach and revenue generation is critical for enabling each union “to protect and grow the sport”.
For the England rugby squad and the sport broadly, future success requires addressing fragmentation.
