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• Rights firm in alert over World Rugby’s planned Nations League
• ‘If you put a sport exclusively on pay TV, you will kill it’

The company charged with selling the broadcast and sponsorship rights to World Rugby’s proposed Nations League has warned the Six Nations unions concerned about the financial impact of relegation that jumping into bed with a private equity company and putting the tournament on pay TV would leave them far worse off.

Unions have until 5 April to say whether they are in favour of the new league, which would start in 2022. The Switzerland-based Infront Sports and Media, which would sell the rights, has guaranteed £5bn over 12 years, but with World Rugby insisting the Six Nations and the Rugby Championship be underpinned by divisions below it and promotion and relegation introduced, countries such as Ireland and Scotland fear going down would lead to financial ruin.

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from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2HDrfPh