Premier Sports has announced an agreement with Virgin Media that will see RLWC2013 becoming available to the cable provider’s four million homes and bringing to an end years of negotiation.
The announcement comes three years after the station began showing Rugby League’s Championship and Championship One games, and after the Parliamentary Rugby League Group intervened by writing to the Chief Executive of Virgin Media imploring the provider to grant the station a slot on its platform in time for the tournament.
Premier Sports Executive Producer, Neal Coupland was quick to thank the Group for its assistance and its involvement saying “The Parliamentary Rugby League Group has been tremendous in its support for Premier Sports in drawing this saga to a close. As soon as we got in touch with them, they sprang into action and I have no doubt that their pressure, combined the support of Rugby League fans who became aware of the issue, compelled Virgin Media to reconsider their position.”
The decision comes just in time to catch all Rugby League World Cup games and the opening ceremony at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium. This means Premier Sports is available to 14 million homes including the 10 million with Sky.
Chairman of the Parliamentary Group, Leeds North West MP Greg Mulholland, praised the decision: “This is tremendous news for Rugby League and sports fans. RLWC2013 will be a fantastic spectacle and one that as many people as possible can celebrate. Virgin Media’s decision to show Premier Sports enables people to see Rugby League played at the highest level and is absolutely right for the athletes, fans, sponsors and the sport generally. Well done to both sides in getting it done.
“Now – let’s look forward to the best ever World Cup!”
