According to Rob Robertson over at the Daily *Bleep*, BT have put in a bid for the broadcast rights to Scotland’s home November Internationals. Apparently their bid is greater than the current offer on the table from the BBC. The current deal with the BBC expired last Autumn so a new deal will be in place but who will be providing television pictures remains to be seen.
Scottish Rugby, understandably, are keen that coverage remain free to air in this time of unprecedented grwoth for rugby in Scotland and are understood to be proposing a joint deal. Which you imagine would be ideal for everyone except BT, as everyone would most likely continue to watch it on the Beeb save for a few hardcore viewers who might prefer BT’s more technically detailed/proficient style of coverage. You would think, from a business point of view, BT would push for exclusivity or take the money off the table.
Or the SRU may just cave in to their main shirt and stadium sponsor.
Summer tour games are already a hidden mystery that leaves us searching for coverage or watching online streams, which would leave just the BBC with the Six Nations and ITV with the World Cup every 4 years. Would it be worth losing the ability to watch Scotland on the council telly more regularly each year if it meant a big marquee signing for each pro-team?
This Autumn, Scotland play Samoa, New Zealand and Australia.