ITV pundits during coverage of the 2025 Six Nations. (Image: Getty.)
are at risk of losing their television rights to the next year after criticism of their coverage.
The British broadcaster currently share the games with the and the tournament has been on terrestrial TV since its inception, though many are opposed to both channels showcasing the series.
While paid-for subscription models such as TNT Sports and are increasingly expanding their rugby portfolio .
Under the current deal, holds the rights to all and home matches, and ITV to all those in , , France and Italy.
Bidding will soon take place for the next round of TV rights with the contract up in 2026. claims that TNT Sports will weigh up the pros and cons of bidding once the tender is put out by Six Nations organisers.
The next bid could be worth as much as £100m, up from the £90m more than the joint ITV/ partnership, with in favour of one sole channel.
Last year, former England international Martin Bayfield and freelance , ITV and TNT broadcaster, called for an end to shared TV rights between the two current holders.
“Rugby just can’t hide away and only jump out from behind a tree and say, ‘Here we are!’ and then disappear again. It needs oxygen otherwise it is just going to fail,” Bayfield told .
TNT Sports has continued to grow its coverage of rugby in recent years. (Image: Getty)
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“The Six Nations has to be free-to-air and has to be one platform so you have one focus, one message, one tone. I don’t know if I am too old-fashioned, but I want to be able to hear the theme tune and think, ‘That’s the Six Nations’ and walk in from the other room to watch, a bit like when the Rugby Special music started, and everyone would sit down and watch it.
“You have to have a good build-up but even more important is having good analysis afterwards, and access to the game through the week. Every Six Nations game should be like a mini Super Bowl. You have press conferences, you have interviews with players, and superstars who enjoy rugby.”
After England’s Calcutta Cup win over Scotland, the broadcaster came in for of Finn Russell’s pivotal kick.
With side leading 16-15 in the dying embers of the game, Russell had a wide conversation that would snatch victory back to Scotland after Duhan van der Merwe’s sensational try.
However, abandoning the traditional behind-kicker view that TV audiences are accustomed to, ITV panned to the assistant’s flag that never raised – signalling that the kick was missed.
But those watching on TV couldn’t initially see Russell’s kick, nor how close he was to glory, until a replay was shown.
Former England fly-half Andy Goode led the backlash on X (formerly known as Twitter), writing: “What happened to seeing the potential match-winning kick from Finn Russell? Poor, poor show, not seeing the live angle from behind.”
Hoards of fans rushed to social media to make similar complaints, adding more fuel to the fire that could see coverage soon moved to TNT if they outbid the terrestrial channels.
And with TNT Sports increased coverage of the Autumn Nations Series and Premiership matches, they pose a serious challenge to an under-fire ITV, as do if only one free-to-air channel is chosen moving forward.