Calls for Six Nations to stay free-to-air on television

Will the Six Nations stay on free-to-air TV? Credit: PA Images

There have been calls for the Six Nations Championships to be protected so it can remain free for people to watch on TV.

The Senedd's Sport Committee today called for the rugby championship to move to a Group A category sport from a Group B as part of the Broadcasting Act 1996.

This would mean the tournament would join other much-loved events like the FA Cup Final, the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Women's Football World Cup and European Championships as protected free-to-air competitions.

Delyth Jewell MS, Chair of the Senedd’s Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee, says how important rugby is to the psyche and culture of Wales.

The Senedd's Sport Committee also recommended that the Welsh Government support this call.

A Welsh Government spokesperson has said: “We have always made our view clear that the Six Nations must remain free-to air and the majority of the Welsh population are able to watch such an important tournament.

“We have received the Senedd committee’s report and will consider its findings.”

In January, The UK Government rejected a similar bid to make the Six Nations free-to-air and said it would only look into whether digital platforms could be included in the coverage.

But after today's calls, a spokesperson from the UK Government's Department of Culture, Media and Sport has said: "The listed events regime aims to ensure many of the nation's biggest sporting events are free-to-air wherever possible, while protecting competition organisers' ability to raise income from the sale of broadcast rights to invest in their sports."

They added: "We believe the current list strikes an appropriate balance, with protections in place for highlights of the Six Nations tournament and live coverage of the Rugby World Cup final, and therefore have no plans to amend the regime".

There are calls to protect the Welsh language coverage of the Six Nations tournament Credit: PA Images

Today's report also calls for the UK Government to take steps to protect Welsh language coverage of the Six Nations tournament.

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