NEW YORK, NY – AUGUST 25, 2023 – World Rugby, the governing body of Rugby Union, has partnered with Endeavor Streaming to expand its international media distribution with the launch of a free-to-air, global streaming service. The OTT platform, RugbyPass TV, marks the first time the federation has introduced its own, standalone service to stream its international competitions live to fans around the world.
Live coverage will kick off with the Rugby World Cup 2023 on Friday 8th September. RugbyPass TV will stream World Cup matches to fans in all global territories where broadcast deals are not in place. The platform will also stream all fixtures from World Rugby’s upcoming tournaments, including the men’s and women’s Rugby World Cups, WXV and the HSBC SVNS series.
Additionally, it will host more than 1,000 hours of archive content from historic matches alongside exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, documentary and feature content produced by World Rugby Studios involving the sport’s biggest stars.
World Rugby Chief Marketing and Content Officer James Rothwell added: “This is an opportunity for rugby fans around the world to get closer to the game we love. Rugby is an incredible sport, and we want to deepen the connection it has with new and existing fans through live rights, never seen before archive content, and our World Rugby Studios original programming. RugbyPass TV is the destination for global rugby content.”
Pete Bellamy, Chief Commercial Officer at Endeavor Streaming said “With the Rugby World Cup just around the corner, global interest in Rugby Union has never been higher. We’re proud to partner with World Rugby at this pinnacle moment in its calendar to help the sport expand its international reach, connect and grow its worldwide fanbase and help to deliver brand new content formats in a highly personalized manner.”
RugbyPass TV will be hosted on Endeavor Streaming’s Vesper platform, a complete end-to-end streaming solution that enables clubs and rightsholders to build upon and deliver memorable direct-to-consumer streaming experiences for their fans. The service will be available for fans to watch online via a dedicated OTT website rugbypass.tv, iOS and Android mobile apps, and via Smart TV devices including Apple TV and Android TV.
The RugbyPass TV launch leverages Endeavor Streaming’s experience in delivering innovative direct-to-consumer streaming offerings for some of the world’s biggest sporting clubs and leagues, including Tottenham Hotspur FC, the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers, Union of European Football Association (UEFA), the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and the English Football League (EFL).