BBC and ITV have raised their joint Six Nations bid towards £100m-a-year in a final attempt to prevent the tournament vanishing behind a paywall.
The major free-to-air channels, whose six-year contract expired nine days ago, are understood to have increased their offer by more than 25 per cent in an ambitious move to clinch a new deal. Powerbrokers say a decision could be made this week, twelve months later than planned because of the pandemic.
“This is a very competitive bid and it’s been reinforced by the DG’s (Director General Tim Davie) determination not to lose the Crown Jewels of in...