Sky to buy ITV UK
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c04yx44xq19o
This can only be a bad thing for rugby. Just a very easy way for sky to funnel all non-listed events over to a subscription.
From the article:
Sport and public service broadcasting
For many, Sky is best known for its sports coverage (the majority of televised Premier League games are still shown on Sky Sports, for example, and it now has the rights to broadcast Formula 1 in the UK until 2034).
Part of the appeal of the takeover from its perspective is that, as a public service broadcaster, ITV can bid for the 'listed' crown jewel tournaments that have to be shown live on a free-to-air channel such as the Olympic Games, Grand National and British Grand Prix.
It's why Wimbledon is on the BBC and why the BBC and ITV show the World Cup - which is bringing in millions of eyeballs (and - for ITV - millions in advertising revenue).
Former ITV Chairman Peter Bazalgette told me "sport is a massive driver of live viewing and advertising revenue".
"Putting together the sports powerhouse of Sky's football Premier League deals with the sport that is on ITV - the World Cup, the Rugby Six Nations - is probably one of the most attractive things for Comcast."
For audiences it could also mean in future you'll see Sky using ITV's platforms as a shop window for programmes that are usually behind its paywall - rights-depending, perhaps a Premier League match shown free on ITV as a way to entice new subscribers to Sky platforms.