www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/may/23/we...n-vote-no-confidence

I wonder is this really about domestic league structure or is there a significant RRW hand in it?

Problem with that is that BT now own scottish rugby, english club rugby and welsh club rugby. If we cosy up to sky we might not have anyone to play against in 4 to 6 years time. They are on record as wanting to own the sport.

Only one I can think of.

That occurred to me too but I'm not sure if Sky actually do jersey sponsorship? Anyone remember any teams sponsored by Sky in any sport?? (the cycle team I suppose?)

Why not SKY SPORTS across the front of next years jersey. They will surely want to retaliate against BT and with a big push and fingers crossed we may qualify for the top table the season after next.

That's what I would be doing if I was CEO. I'd also add the other provinces even as a secondary sponsor. The chances are that one of the Irish provinces will win the Rabo next year so go with the winners.

Why not SKY SPORTS across the front of next years jersey. They will surely want to retaliate against BT and with a big push and fingers crossed we may qualify for the top table the season after next.

They seem to be rewarding the unions/regions that supported the PRL/RCC with lucrative sponsorship deals.Hence i dont think we will be getting a deal anytime soon. The 30 pieces of silver are being dished out. In the process they are undermining skysports which is their bonus. It damages the commercial viability of pro12 in long term imo.If they wanted to help the league they would have bid on the rights.

rossie wrote: And so the war between sky and bt sport continues! BT sport announces new 3yr "muli million" pound deal with RRW.Cardiff arms park will be known as BT sports arms park and dragons, ospreys and scarlets shall have BT sport as main jersey sponsors. So thats 5 teams and a stadium sponsored by BT in skys 1st year televising pro12. Not good for future tv deals imo.
In addition BT are the new naming rights holders for murrayfield in 20m deal.

? BT sport to replace Mazda next year. Maybe not such a crazy idea. We'd have to stop bitching about them .....

connachtexile wrote: Fairly certain I've seen BT on the Ulster jerseys as well but not as main sponsor.

Yes it bt rather than bt sport and its on sleeve. That makes it 6 teams and a stadium.
An even more worrying aspect of this deal has been revealed today. The regions will join the AP clubs in their preseason 7s tournament. So regions will be playing in 2 of the 3 english tournaments, want to play in the 3rd and are sponsored by that competitions tv rights holder and bankroller. Add in the fact that both scots teams and national team are sponsored by bt and the future looks bleak for pro12 beyond current agreement.

Fairly certain I've seen BT on the Ulster jerseys as well but not as main sponsor.

And so the war between sky and bt sport continues! BT sport announces new 3yr "muli million" pound deal with RRW.Cardiff arms park will be known as BT sports arms park and dragons, ospreys and scarlets shall have BT sport as main jersey sponsors. So thats 5 teams and a stadium sponsored by BT in skys 1st year televising pro12. Not good for future tv deals imo.
In addition BT are the new naming rights holders for murrayfield in 20m deal.

Fir and venetia rugby ltd aka treviso today announce the signing of a new participation deal which will run for 4 years. Treviso commit to pro12 and europe and the development of italian national team and FIR commit to 4m pa payment.
Its a bit late for treviso for next season but welcome all the same.

rossie wrote: Interesting development on the sponsor front. Turkish airlines, who were favourites to become new sponsor, have thrown their hat in ring to sponsor ercc. As no announcement has been made about pro12 yet one wonders if this is instead of sponsoring pro12?

Any idea if Pro12 are planning to go down the same route with multiple sponsors?
It would seem to make sense. Rabodirect have naming rights in all territories even though they do no business in the UK or Italy.

Interesting development on the sponsor front. Turkish airlines, who were favourites to become new sponsor, have thrown their hat in ring to sponsor ercc. As no announcement has been made about pro12 yet one wonders if this is instead of sponsoring pro12?

Scarlets ceo mark davies the first to blink and requests meeting next week with wru to resolve their differences. On wales online and bbc sport website. Worth a read even for the tone of the piece. The regional diehards will be spewing !!!

I'd say that's the way CCs will work there. To get the deal done the wru will have to allow the 9.45m pa be for the professional services agreement and find another 2m over the next 2yrs to finance the extra CCs required to bring the stars home.

Incidently by signing up to ERCC or EPRC( whichever it is called) RRW have agreed to qualification to this new tournament via the pro12 for the next 8 years.