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Six Nations sold to CVC capital partners

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Full article at the link

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/six-nations-sold-to-cvc-capital-partners-mz6qbc282

The Six Nations unions have agreed to sell a significant share of their business to CVC Capital Partners, the private equity firm, who have already bought a stake in the Gallagher Premiership and have nearly completed a similar deal with the Guinness Pro14.

CVC has therefore succeeded in gaining an influence over European rugby that no outside organisation has ever had before.

The six unions that make up the Six Nations Championship have agreed to pool all their business into one commercial entity. This means that CVC does not just own a share of the winter Six Nations Championship, it also has a stake in the autumn internationals and the summer tours.
 
Not informed enough to add much but I will say

1. I'll wait to see how this plays out before rushing to judgements
2. Any deal that takes the Six Nations off free to air television will go down as one of the stupidest moves in the history of Irish/UK sport.
3. They could not have picked a more cynical time to go public with this information, the world cup starts in four days which means that this will largely fly under the radar, the hemisphere's leading rugby journalists are all in Japan at this stage and will have their hands more than full.
 
Too early to say what the implications might be, other than live games not being on FTA. There are no 'Crown Jewels' in UK sport these days really that are guaranteed being FTA.

I suspect that it does likely provide further counterweight against World Rugby's ambitions with the World League (i.e. you can stick a fork in any prospect of change to the 6N lineup).

It probably also explains the reticence of those unions to explore other options as they knew this potential pot of gold was within their grasp. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush etc.

If they are buying a stake in the 6N and multiple European leagues then I really fear for Tier2 involvement in the Challenge Cup as well. Hopefully, this is all needless pessimism.
 
I'd say this is the first nail in the coffin of free to air televising of the 6 Nations.

Considering CVC Capital's forage into F1 and the SKY takeover of all live races, it doesn't bode well for the future for armchair viewers.
 
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