Six Nations Rugby has agreed to sell a stake in the tournament to private equity firm CVC Capital Partners in a five-year deal understood to be worth in the region of £365m.
Organisers say the deal with CVC, which already has significant investment in the Gallagher Premiership and PRO14, is subject to customary regulatory approvals. The deal has been reported to have concluded with a £95m windfall for the RFU.
Ben Morel, chief executive of Six Nations Rugby, said: “This is a hugely positive development and I want to express my thanks to all parties involved. In particular, our six unions and federations, for the strong sense of unity and collaboration they have shown throughout this process to create a unified Six Nations Rugby and agree the partnership with CVC.
“The Six Nations Championship is steeped in rugby tradition, stretching back to 1883, and together with the women's, Under-20s and Autumn International series, is synonymous with all the excitement, colour, and passion that rugby has to offer. This external investment is an important validation of what Six Nations Rugby has achieved to date and is a key next step as we invest to grow the game on the world stage.
“When we started this journey, our aim was to ensure we found the right strategic partner, who can add real value and is committed to a long-term relationship. CVC recognises the exciting potential in the Six Nations Championships and Autumn International series, and they are aligned with our vision for the future.
“CVC has a proven track record of partnering to support growth strategies in sport and is uniquely positioned to help promote collaboration across the sport of rugby for the benefit of fans, players, clubs and unions and all other rugby stakeholders.”
The deal has been two years in the making and will see CVC investment take root in the Men's, Women's and U20's Six Nations tournaments.
CVC was uprooted from Formula 1 in September 2016 after selling its majority share to Liberty Media for £6.4bn, and quickly set about establishing a portfolio in rugby union.
In 2018, CVC made its first steps by acquiring a minority share of 27 per cent in Premiership Rugby for £120m and did the same in the PRO14 last year.
It would make a really interesting and useful article if TRP produced some sort of infographic showing the convoluted structures surrounding England Rugby / 6N / Premiership etc.