The production and sales of broadcast rights for the Rugby League World Cup 2021 will be handled jointly between the two organisations.
Rugby League World Cup 2021 (RLWC2021) and The International Rugby League (IRL) have agreed to work together on the broadcast production of matches at the tournament, as well as on the sale of broadcast rights across the world.
Together they will produce 61 matches across the RLWC2021 Men’s, Women’s and Wheelchair tournaments, which will all be broadcast on the BBC in the UK. Global broadcast partners will be announced over the next few months.
As part of the production, RLWC2021 says it is utilising the tech, data and insights to “bring fans closer to the action.”
RLWC2021 is held every four years. The 2021 competition will take place across 21 venues throughout England.
Jon Dutton, chief executive RLWC2021, said: “The content needs of fans are changing radically and becoming more fragmented, and we want to stay ahead of the curve and meet these rapidly evolving demands. Our partnership with the IRL allows us to both execute a world-class broadcast production and rights strategy, which will be at the centre of our fan engagement approach and will provide an additional revenue stream for all parties.”
Nigel Wood, chief executive, IRL, added: “The opportunity to work collaboratively on the broadcast production is a very sensible commercial arrangement. It puts the whole presentation of the tournament in the hands of the organisers.”