Virgin Media launches Premier Sports Rugby channel

Virgin Media has launched a new sports channel called Premier Sports Rugby, which is a first for the UK. The channel will be available 24/7 and will feature rugby events such as the Investec Champions Cup, EPCR Challenge Cup, and the United Rugby Championship. Current Premier Sports subscribers can access the channel at no extra cost. For new subscribers, the monthly fee is £15.99. Additionally, two live matches from Japan’s Rugby League One and popular games from Major League Rugby in the United States will also be shown. David Bouchier, Chief TV and Entertainment Officer at Virgin Media O2, emphasized that this launch shows their commitment to providing diverse sports content for all fans. This announcement comes shortly after the closure of Eurosport in the UK, which had been a staple for 35 years. Virgin Media is now looking to enhance its offerings with more channels. They currently provide over 30 free ad-supported FAST channels and may expand this number to 50 in the future. However, some traditional TV channels are at risk of disappearing. The BBC has plans to shift CBBC and BBC Four to digital only. Channel 4 has also hinted at closing small channels that do not generate enough revenue. The future of many channels remains uncertain.