The Good, The Bad & The Rugby State Of The Game: The Free-to-Air Revolution
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Dec 10, 2025 Ollie Phillips, a former England Sevens captain and world sevens player of the year, dives into his thrilling challenge of rowing 3,000 miles across the Atlantic to raise over a million pounds for three charities. He shares the logistical hurdles of the journey, from calorie requirements to managing sleep deprivation. The discussion also touches on his motivations, camaraderie at sea, and quirky survival tips. Will Ollie's adventure inspire more people to support the causes he’s passionate about? Tune in to find out!
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Broadcasting Market Is In Flux
- The sports-broadcasting market is unusually turbulent with streaming giants entering and reshaping rights values.
- This could push rights prices up again or force consolidation under big free-to-air broadcasters like ITV.
Fan Costs Rise With Fragmentation
- Subscriptions to watch every rugby window can cost consumers around £1,000 per year.
- Fragmentation harms fans, so consolidation under free-to-air or fewer platforms would improve access.
Free-To-Air As A Shop Window
- ITV's deal makes England's internationals widely available free-to-air for the first time in decades.
- Free-to-air can act as a mass 'shop window' to grow the sport's audience and profile.