Host Broadcast Services (HBS) has been confirmed as producer of the main broadcast feed for every Men’s and Women’s Rugby World Cup up until 2029.
The new deal agreed with World Rugby sees HBS bringing the Women’s Rugby World Cups in England in 2025 and Australia in 2029 and the Men’s Rugby World Cup Australia 2027 to audiences.
HBS said it will deliver the overall production plan, project management, provision of broadcast equipment and technology, implementation and running of the Rugby World Cup International Broadcast Centres and servicing of rights-holding broadcasters around the world with satellite distribution, unilateral venue services and content creation services.
The two companies said they intend to “embed sustainability principles in their operations” in order to reduce avoidable carbon emissions and use “innovative technologies” to support World Rugby’s climate targets.
World Rugby chief executive Alan Gilpin said: “At the heart of this partnership is innovation and we are looking forward to working with HBS teams to find creative ways to bring Rugby World Cup to fans around the world in a way they haven’t experienced it before, while finding the necessary efficiencies to limit the environmental impact of our joint production.”
HBS CEO Dan Miodownik added: “We are very proud of our collaborative partnership with World Rugby over the past years and are delighted to carry on working together for the next series of events. The growth of women’s rugby continues apace and the next edition in England ties in with the launch of our new HBS branch in the UK, and we will start this new cycle with the usual objective to keep evolving and innovating to match World Rugby’s ambition.”
