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News, Sport

Amazon 'shocked' by how many watched rugby in Welsh language rather than paid to watch in English

By NationCymru
Picture by: fromthevalleys- (CC BY-ND 2.0)

Amazon decided not to allow S4C to broadcast Autumn rugby internationals after being "shocked" by how many chose to watch in the Welsh language rather than pay to watch in English.

Amazon have bought the rights for all four Wales Tests and will include Welsh language as well as English commentary.

The Daily Mail's rugby correspondent Nik Simon was told that the multinational company "were shocked by how many viewers they lost to the terrestrial channel".

"As a result, the Gain Line understands they have decided to cut out S4C by using their own Welsh language team," he said.

Amazon Prime Video announced in August that they would broadcast 17 of this autumn's 20 rugby internationals in the northern hemisphere in what will collectively be known as the Autumn Nations Series from 2021.

However, at the time talks with S4C were thought to be ongoing. It means no autumn rugby Tests will be broadcast on BBC or ITV for the first time.

In the Republic of Ireland, Ireland's matches will still be shown on RTE.

Meanwhile, the BBC have also lost the rights to broadcast the games on radio to TalkSport, with Wales international George North set to be part of their broadcast coverage.

Wales will play New Zealand on 30 October, South Africa on November 6, Fiji on November 14, and Australia on November 20.

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27 comments

Wrexhamian

Amazon have a Welsh language team?

Reply
Paul

They've just created one.

Reply
hdavies15

Bought it off a cheap website ! Prime members get free delivery, so they say.

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Erisian

That would be the same team who deleted reviews of Welsh books in Welsh would it?

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Wrexhamian

I've found a way around that ban. Type it in English, save it, then edit it in Welsh, and save.

Reply
j humphrys

And who sold the "rights" to Amazon?

Reply
arthur owen

Organisations that needed the money.

Reply
GW Atkinson

The same people who charge 80 quid for a ticket at the Millennium.

Reply
Gareth

The private equity group who have the rights to the 6 Nations, part of the deal was that they control the media rights,and say who gets the broadcast deal.

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GW Atkinson

I'll just stream it from pirate sites then. I am not paying money to watch my national team to a company that doesn't pay tax and treats its employees like crap.Amazon can stick it up their arse and the WRFU can go to hell.

Reply
Martin Evans

The women's rugby union ? There is no F in the WRU

Reply
Barry Pandy

Given that they have sold out their fans to a multi-national who don't pay tax and who treats its employees like crap I think you'll find that there is an F'in WRU.

Reply
Neil

Just sign up for the free trial

Reply
Dr John Ball

RTE will broadcast Ireland's games. There's a lesson there.

Reply
Barry Pandy

Is there any way to watch these instead?

Reply
Mark Gregory

Get a VPN https://www.vpncompare.co.uk/how-to-watch-rte-in-the-uk/

Reply
Y Cymro

Typical Amazon. They giveth then taketh away.

Reply
TJos

Ffwcars drwg

Reply
David

Listen on Radio Cymru / Radio Wales.

Reply
Phil

The story say that the BBC have lost the rights to broadcast to Talksport.

Reply
Mark Davies

Not looking forward to this.Last autumn Prime coverage in Wales was ok for games like Scotland v Georgia,for the Wales matches it kept buffering.Now with even more subscribers it will be worse.

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Jennifer Richards

Held to ransom by yet another greedy multi million pound company. No thought whatsoever for those who cannot afford. Pay to view sport

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David H

Simple. Boycott Amazon like many of us already do.

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Keith Parry

Nails being knocked in to Rugby's coffin. Going off free to view nearly killed off cricket.

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Dr David Berry

Amazon are truly the most ruthless and disgraceful company in existence, and I mean that most sincerely. For example, when you publish, sell etc with them you have to pay for all advertising. So when you publish with them which is done mostly through a third party, and I have done so, they take most of the royalties and then charge you for 'keywords' that are used to tempt people to buy your product. Thus, everytime someone clicks on a keyword relating to your product they make money and this doesn't always result in a purchase of your product. The end result is a monthly bill for advertising with little sales. This company will ruin Welsh rugby for ordinary people.

Reply
Nick

May attract more people to go and watch the games in the pub if they don't want to pay to watch?

Reply
Dewi Jones

So I can't even listen to it in Welsh on without paying. There we are then, can you hear the last nail in the coffin being hit? Without thousands of casual viewers the international game's standing will wither.

Reply

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Replying to Nick Cancel

May attract more people to go and watch the games in the pub if they don't want to pay to watch?

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