The scrum-side advertising blitz that captivated audiences during this year's Six Nations is taking a back seat for the July Rugby Nations Championship. ITV has pulled the plug on its innovative 20-second ad slots shown just before a scrum, citing the current advertising landscape as the reason behind the decision.
The in-play adverts, which debuted to great fanfare and attracted big-name sponsors like Samsung and Virgin Atlantic, have been temporarily shelved due to a major shift in advertiser spending towards other major sporting events. The expanded 48-team football World Cup is dominating airwaves during July, providing ITV with an abundance of alternative advertising opportunities – and it's clear which way the ad revenue wind is blowing.
The scrum-side ads were always going to be a contentious issue, with some viewers labelling them intrusive. Even Six Nations chief executive Tom Harrison acknowledged that UK audiences are generally unaccustomed to adverts appearing during live play, unlike their counterparts in the US and Australia. The decision to pause these ads might be seen as a concession to viewer concerns.
The Nations Championship promises to deliver plenty of thrilling action, with northern hemisphere teams battling it out against southern hemisphere heavyweights South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, and Argentina, plus newcomers Fiji and Japan. The tournament gets underway on Saturday, followed by matches on 11th and 18th July before concluding in November. ITV remains committed to bringing rugby to free-to-air television, with advertising playing a crucial role in keeping these events accessible – at least until the next scrum-side ad break.
While ITV may have paused its scrum ads, it's not shying away from other commercial opportunities. The broadcaster has opted against showing commercials during hydration breaks at the football World Cup, but still holds significant rights to major rugby events, including the Rugby World Cup. With a long history of broadcasting international rugby, ITV is set to bring more excitement and drama to screens in the coming months.
Source: ITV