State Of The Game: The Free-to-Air Revolution

Alex Payne and Mike Tindall dive into the seismic news of ITV securing the rights to the New Nations Series from 2026-2028, making them the undisputed home of English international rugby. Next year will be the first time in 30 years that all England games will be free to air. We ask… Is this the best thing to happen to the English game since 2003? Is rugby finally ready to grasp the opportunity of free-to-air coverage to widen the sport's appeal. We're joined by Ben Rumsby, Sports Investigations Reporter for The Daily Telegraph, for a deep dive into the state of the sports broadcasting landscape. Plus, England Sevens legend Ollie Phillips dials in to share the truly bonkers challenge he's about to undertake: rowing 3,000 miles across the Atlantic for three incredible causes (Cure Parkinson's, My Name's Dottie, and the Matt Hampson Foundation). Good luck, Ollie! 00:00 🛞 Proudly Sponsored by Continental Tyres 01:09 📺 ITV Secures England Rugby Rights 16:49 🏉 The Role of Players Promoting Rugby 28:46 🤝 The Significance of ITV's Deal for Rugby 31:39 📡 Club Rugby and TNT's Future 37:58 💶 Comparing Financials: Prem Rugby vs. Top 14 42:46 📉 Prem Rugby's Current State and Future Prospects 49:05 💼 CVC's Investment in Rugby 55:24 🚣‍♂️ Ollie Phillips' Atlantic Row Challenge 🪽Castore Code: GBR30 www.castore.com  🚣‍♂️Ollie’s Row https://www.seaslife.co.uk/donate  📗The Good, The Bad & The Rugby: Unloaded are now available: https://lnk.to/GBRUnlocked/waterstones Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices