“Sport in Wales faces acute financial challenges, and we recognise the tension that exists between maximising television audiences through free-to-air broadcasting and maximising the revenue available from going behind a paywall.
“But it is the strong view of the committee that our national teams should be available to watch free-to-air. For Welsh rugby, which is fighting to rediscover its soul and reverse the decline in grassroots participation, this is especially important. The Six Nations competition must remain free-to-air.”
Earlier this month, a government minister confirmed that the list of protected events could be amended if the Senedd (Welsh Parliament) called for it. This came amid concerns that further competitions could be kept behind paywalls, with Amazon Prime Video broadcasting the Autumn internationals since 2020 and now fresh fears that the Six Nations and World Cup may be lost by the BBC and ITV.
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