Sky Sports, TNT and Premier Sports snub England Rugby vs USA Test

The new deal is worth almost £200m to the cash-strapped Premiership clubs, with TNT agreeing to pay a bigger rights fee in each year of the contract, rising to around £40m in the final season.

The new deal is worth considerably more than the Premiership’s existing £66m two-year deal with TNT, as well as giving the clubs additional security.

City AM has been told that the new contract also includes scope for the Premiership to expand from its current 10-team structure should any Championship club meet the minimum standards requirements over the next five years and be granted promotion, in which case the rights fees would increase.

TNT Sports has held Premiership rights since 2013, when the channel was known as BT Sport, and the new deal will see it continue to broadcast top-flight games until the end of the 2031-32 season.

All 93 Premiership matches have been made available for the first time this season, while TNT also has live rights to Premiership Women’s Rugby.

TNT’s coverage this weekend kicks off with Leicester vs Sale on Friday night, with four more games following on Saturday and Sunday.

Relevent Sports is opening a London office and undertaking a major recruitment drive after winning the lucrative contract to sell exclusive commercial rights for all Uefa men’s club competitions between 2027 and 2033.

The American agency, part-owned by Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross and also headquartered in Florida, will replace Uefa’s long-time commercial partner Team Marketing, who have sold TV rights and sponsorship for the Champions League since the European Cup was rebranded almost 25 years ago.

Relevent’s expertise and staff are understandably focused on the US market so one of their immediate priorities is to boost their European presence, beginning in London.

While Relevent has largely won the contract in the hope that the Champions League can crack America, leading to concerns that some games will be taken to the States, they will also be tasked with selling in Europe so are likely to recruit some staff currently with Team.

The Women’s Tennis Association is eager to accelerate talks over setting up a new joint commercial operation with the Association of Tennis Professionals.

The women’s and men’s tours have been in talks over setting up a joint organisation called Tennis Ventures to manage their commercial rights for almost 12 months, with the WTA keen to close the deal as soon as possible.

The WTA sold 20 per cent of its commercial income to private equity firm CVC Capital Partners two years ago, and is looking for new forms of investment.

The ATP has offered the WTA a 20 per cent stake in Tennis Ventures and, while their leadership was holding out for a better deal, City AM has been told they may now be prepared to accept that share to get the deal done.