The months-long telenovela focused first on the dismantling of the European rugby cups Heinekeen Cup and Challenge Cup, equivalent to the Champions League and UEFA Cup, and then on the creation of the new European Rugby Champions Cup and European Rugby Challenge Cup, has come to an end. In fact, all the agreements regarding turnover, TV rights and participants have been defined: only the calendars are missing. Former title sponsor Heineken will no longer have its name on the tournament sign, but will continue to be a major sponsor, paying out nearly 5 million a year to new European competitions.
However, the agreements provide for many other revenues. In fact, the partnership with Allianz insurance and Turkish Airlines is almost certain, which after the famous television commercials with the super basketball player Kobe Bryant and the "flea" Messi, also suffers from the oval ball. Approximately 20 million will be invested by the two companies in sponsoring the two most important European club cups.
However, the most consistent proceeds will come from TV rights, with the signing of a super agreement with the multinational television company IMG. Deal covers broadcast rights outside UK, Ireland and France for live broadcasts and highlights on all platforms for 67 European Rugby Champions Cup matches, plus play-offs, 19 European Rugby matches Challenge Cup and matches in the Challenge Cup qualifying tournament for provinces or emerging clubs. The agreement provides for 30 million for TV rights in France, about 34 million for BT Sport and Sky for Great Britain, while the European Professional Club Rugby - the European association that manages club competitions in the old continent - aims to obtain an additional 17 million euros from TV rights in other countries, including Italy.
Italy is included in the TV rights negotiations only for the 2015/2016 season, thus leaving a hole for the matches which will begin in October. However, Treviso and Zebre will participate in the prestigious competitions, respectively in the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup, but we will have to wait for next season to see them comfortably on television. We therefore remain out of contention for what appears to be an important decisive leap for an increasingly professional rugby both in Europe and in the Southern Hemisphere.
Witnessing the depth of an agreement that will bring over 100 million in the turnover of European rugby, there are the words of Michael Mellor, SVP for IMG Media: "It is the dawn of a new era for European rugby in professional club level and we are excited to be involved from the very beginning.” Bruce Craig of the EPCR Executive Committee echoes him: "We look forward to working with IMG to ensure that European rugby at professional club level fulfills its potential in both established and emerging markets".
