DIEHARD
07-11-07, 07:33 AM
2008 World Cup set to attract enormous TV audiences
The 2008 Rugby League World Cup is set to attract the biggest television audiences in the tournament?s 54-year history with live coverage into the UK, Australia, New Zealand and the Middle East.
It will also break new ground in being the first to be broadcast live on internet platforms after joining with Telstra in the area of New Media.
The interest building in Rugby League World Cup XIII has already been made clear with Britain?s Sky Sports, New Zealand?s Sky Sport, Showtime in the Middle East and Samoa in the Pacific each electing to show final qualifying matches.
As the Rugby League World Cup heads to Australia for the first time since 1977, Australian free to air rights holder the Nine Network is preparing to telecast all ?Super Pool? matches next year, the semi-finals and Final from October 25 and November 22.
Sky Sports will telecast all 18 games live into the UK, taking in telecasts from 12 different venues.
Sky TV New Zealand will also take in all 18 games live as well as next-day replay and highlights programmes.
Showtime has secured the rights to all 18 games for the Middle East as Cup hopefuls Lebanon still battle for a World Cup berth.
Rugby League International Federation Chairman and RLWC ?08 Tournament Director, Mr Colin Love AM, said: ?No sport can make you feel part of the action quite like Rugby League and there is no more intense or prestigious arena than the international game.
?The format of the competition means that we will see teams with a real chance of causing an upset in almost every game.
?It is going to provide some great television viewing and the pleasing thing is that we are still receiving considerable interest from further prospective broadcast partners.?
http://www.rugbyleagueworldcup.com
The 2008 Rugby League World Cup is set to attract the biggest television audiences in the tournament?s 54-year history with live coverage into the UK, Australia, New Zealand and the Middle East.
It will also break new ground in being the first to be broadcast live on internet platforms after joining with Telstra in the area of New Media.
The interest building in Rugby League World Cup XIII has already been made clear with Britain?s Sky Sports, New Zealand?s Sky Sport, Showtime in the Middle East and Samoa in the Pacific each electing to show final qualifying matches.
As the Rugby League World Cup heads to Australia for the first time since 1977, Australian free to air rights holder the Nine Network is preparing to telecast all ?Super Pool? matches next year, the semi-finals and Final from October 25 and November 22.
Sky Sports will telecast all 18 games live into the UK, taking in telecasts from 12 different venues.
Sky TV New Zealand will also take in all 18 games live as well as next-day replay and highlights programmes.
Showtime has secured the rights to all 18 games for the Middle East as Cup hopefuls Lebanon still battle for a World Cup berth.
Rugby League International Federation Chairman and RLWC ?08 Tournament Director, Mr Colin Love AM, said: ?No sport can make you feel part of the action quite like Rugby League and there is no more intense or prestigious arena than the international game.
?The format of the competition means that we will see teams with a real chance of causing an upset in almost every game.
?It is going to provide some great television viewing and the pleasing thing is that we are still receiving considerable interest from further prospective broadcast partners.?
http://www.rugbyleagueworldcup.com