Welsh Rugby Union
Five Close in on Heineken Cup
By Lestyn - 06/10/03
October 6 2003
This season's Heineken cup could be broadcast away from the BBC, after the corporation decided against upping their bid to meet the ERC's asking price. Now Channel five have emerged as favorites to screen the competition.
Reportedly the tournament's organisers refused to budge on a figure of near seven million pounds for the right's to the tournament, but the BBC were only prepared to offer two million short of that. Now Channel five who shared duel coverage of the tournament with Sky several season's ago, are looking to snap up the right's.
Five who are not exactly well known for their coverage of sport, are desperate to expand their schedule and secure one of the few available rugby competitions. But unlike this season where the BBC shared their coverage with British Eurosport, five are more likely to do a Cardiff and go it alone.
Where this leaves coverage in Wales is unknown, but hopefully the Celtic regions will still be able to screen games, which are not being covered by five. We won't know the outcome of who the ERC opt for, for a few week's, but the BBC still remain an option due to the bigger exposure they could offer to what is still a growing tournament.