It comes after increasing pressure from Sky to broadcast the competition, leaving no other option than for the BBC and ITV to work together to keep the Six Nations away from the hands of paid for broadcasters.
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The new deal, which is estimated to be worth in the region of £50m a year, will mirror the system which operates for football’s World Cup and European Championships and will run until 2022.
The Six Nations Championship will continue to be broadcast on terrestrial television for the next six years, it was confirmed yesterday, but in the new deal the BBC will play second fiddle to ITV.
There are 15 games in each year of the Six Nations and the BBC will have eight and ITV seven in 2016, while that tally will be reversed the following year.
Labour frontbencher Mr Bryant told Mr Whittingdale: “I’m not sure you’re right about that because the (Office for Budget Responsibility) says that the shabby little behind-the-stairs deal that you cooked up this week for the licence fee represents another 20% cut in real terms to the BBC”.
“Isn’t it the case, when sports rights’ inflation is running into double digits, this BBC settlement means you are effectively forcing sport off the BBC?”
The BBC faces an uncertain future after learning the Government was planning to make it foot the £650m bill for supplying over-75s with a free television licence and last week was beaten to the rights for the Olympic Games by the owner of Eurosport.
“It’s a very special competition and our viewing figures from this year prove just how popular it is with audiences”, added Slater.
Niall Sloane, ITV’s director of sport, said the broadcaster is delighted to strengthen its ties with the game as it prepares for its live coverage of the Rugby World Cup later this year.
Sky – which briefly held certain rights in the 1990s – was reported to be a favoured bidder.
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The Celtic unions however are understood to be more open to seeing the tournament on Sky or BT Sport if it means more income for them.
