{"id":81667,"date":"2024-02-06T13:11:28","date_gmt":"2024-02-06T13:11:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/?p=81667"},"modified":"2024-02-06T13:11:54","modified_gmt":"2024-02-06T13:11:54","slug":"what-could-it-mean-for-pubs-if-the-six-nations-goes-behind-a-paywall","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/2024\/02\/06\/what-could-it-mean-for-pubs-if-the-six-nations-goes-behind-a-paywall\/","title":{"rendered":"What could it mean for pubs if the Six Nations goes behind a paywall?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The BBC and ITV deal ends in 2025, putting the viewing habits of thousands in doubt<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

PUB workers in Cardiff are worried about what the possibility of the Six Nations moving behind a paywall could mean for the hospitality industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2021, BBC and ITV agreed a deal with the tournament organisers to show the championship from 2022 to 2025 with two-thirds of the matches on ITV, and the rest on the BBC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Matches deemed to be of national importance, such as the FA Cup final and Wimbledon, are classed as Group A events and must be offered to free-to-air channels. The Six Nations is in Group B , meaning only highlights need to be free to view.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recent calls by Welsh MPs to move it into Group A were rejected by the UK Government so the TV rights remain up for grabs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The BBC has said it might not be able to afford the tournament anymore, so there is a real possibility the Six Nations could go behind a paywall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fewer people would be able to watch the tournament from the comfort of their homes and could be tempted to watch in pubs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But not all pubs can afford the commercial subscriptions and could lose trade, while managers of bars that can are worried about how they would cope with extra demand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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