Singapore/Paris – Eurosport has secured the exclusive TV and digital rights from Sky plc for a selection of Rugby League properties to be broadcast on Discovery’s recently acquired premium rugby channel, Setanta Sports Asia. The rights are effective immediately until the end of the 2019 season.
Peter Hutton, Chief Executive Officer, Eurosport said: “It is important that all forms of the game are shown on Setanta Sports Asia, demonstrating our ambition to remain the leading rugby broadcaster in Asia. As a big fan of Rugby League myself, I’m thrilled that Setanta Sports Asia now has the sport’s leading leagues and competitions in the world delivering some of the most exciting rugby to a wide audience in Asia.”
Super League General Manager Blake Solly added: “We are delighted that sports fans across Asia will now have the opportunity to follow all the action from the First Utility Super League, Ladbrokes Challenge Cup and Kingston Press Championship, as well as the World Club Series, on Setanta Sports Asia.
“Rugby League has experienced significant global growth in the last few years and this partnership with Setanta Sports Asia will help us showcase the skill and athleticism of some of the world’s most exciting sportsmen to a massive audience. I am sure that TV viewers on Setanta Sports Asia will not fail to be impressed by the high quality of the coverage that Rugby League fans in Europe already enjoy,” concluded Solly.
Rugby League properties include:
- European Super League: the top-level Rugby League club competition in Europe.
- Championship: the UK’s second-tier Rugby League competition.
- Challenge Cup: the international knockout Rugby League cup competition. Hull Kingston Rovers will battle it out against the Leeds Rhinos in the 2015 final on 29th August.
- World Club Challenge: the annual Rugby League competition played between the top three clubs of the Australian National Rugby League (NRL) and European Super League. Only matches played in the UK will be shown.
- Two magazine shows produced by Sky Sports, ‘Full Time’ and ‘Boots n’ all’ featuring match previews and insightful analysis along with interviews with some of the biggest names in the game.
This great new rugby content joins the wealth of top class rugby that already exists on the Setanta Asia channel. For Rugby League fans the channel has exclusive rights to the NRL including The State of Origin games. For Rugby Union fans Setanta Asia is the home of Super Rugby, European Rugby Champions Cup, Aviva Premiership, Currie Cup, Guinness Pro 12, The Rugby Championship and lots more.
Next European Super League matches to be shown live on Setanta Asia:
Thursday 3 Sep Huddersfield v Castleford
Friday 4 Sep Leeds v St Helens
Thursday 10 Sep Castleford v St Helens
Friday 11 Sep Wigan v Hull
Thursday 17 Sep Leeds v Castleford
Friday 18 Sep St Helens v Wigan
