FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, October 3rd, 2018
NBC SPORTS PRESENTS FIRST-EVER LIVE PREMIERSHIP RUGBY MATCH ON BROADCAST TV THIS SATURDAY – HARLEQUINS V. SARACENS AT 2:30 P.M. ET ON NBC
Harlequins v. Sararcens Airs on NBC on Saturday Immediately Following Manchester United v. Newcastle Premier League Match
Northampton Saints v. Leicester Tigers – Saturday Night at 12 a.m. ET/9 p.m. PT on NBCSN
STAMFORD, Conn. – October 3, 2018 – NBC Sports will present the first-ever live Gallagher Premiership Rugby match on U.S. broadcast television this Saturday, when defending champions Saracens face Harlequins at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC, immediately following NBC Sports’ Premier League coverage featuring Manchester United and Newcastle.
In addition to Saracens v. Harlequins live on NBC, NBC Sports will present coverage of Northampton Saints v. Leicester Tigers on Saturday night at 12 a.m. ET on NBCSN. This week’s coverage begins Friday at 2:45 p.m. exclusively on NBC Sports Gold, when Bath Rugby host Exeter Chiefs.
NBC Sports Gold – NBC Sports Digital’s direct-to-consumer live streaming product – provides comprehensive live, commercial-free coverage of all 2018-19 Premiership Rugby matches, as well as an hour-long Premiership Recap Show after each round.
NBC Sports’ Leigh Diffey will anchor studio coverage for this Saturday’s matches on NBC and NBCSN, alongside former Premiership Rugby player Alex Corbisiero (analyst) and U.S. Rugby Hall of Fame member Dan Lyle (analyst).
HARLEQUINS V. SARACENS – SATURDAY AT 2:30 P.M. ET LIVE ON NBC
Harlequins (2-0-3, 13 pts) host defending Premiership champions Saracens (5-0-0, 25 pts) this Saturday in the first-ever Premiership Rugby match to air live on NBC. Saracens have built off of last season’s championship with five straight wins to start the 2018-19 campaign. In all five Premiership matches this season, Saracens have scored over 30 points and won by double digits.
Harlequins currently sit in fourth place in the Premiership, coming off a 27-25 victory at Gloucester Rugby in Round 5. Despite Saracens’ recent dominance in the Premiership, Harlequins have won their last three home meetings v. Saracens, including a 20-19 victory in December of last season.
NORTHAMPTON SAINTS V. LEICESTER TIGERS – SATURDAY NIGHT AT 12 A.M. ET/9 P.M. PT ON NBCSN
Northampton Saints and Leicester Tigers face off at Twickenham Stadium in an East Midlands derby. Northampton (2-0-3) are coming off a 45-40 victory against Bristol Rugby in Round 5, while Leicester (2-0-3) enter the match following a 19-15 win over Sale Sharks. Northampton swept the season series with Leicester last season, including a 27-21 win in April.
Following is this weekend’s NBC Sports’ Premiership Rugby coverage schedule on NBC, NBCSN and NBC Sports Gold:
Date | Coverage | Time (ET) | Network |
Fri., October 5 | Bath Rugby v. Exeter Chiefs | 2:45 p.m. | NBC Sports Gold |
Sat., October 6 | Sale Sharks v. Newcastle Falcons | 10 a.m. | NBC Sports Gold |
Wasps v. Gloucester Rugby | 10 a.m. | NBC Sports Gold | |
Northampton Saints v. Leicester Tigers | 10 a.m. | NBC Sports Gold | |
Harlequins v. Saracens | 2:30 p.m. | NBC | |
Northampton Saints v. Leicester Tigers* | 12 a.m. | NBCSN | |
Sun., October 7 | Worcester Warriors v. Bristol Bears | 10 a.m. | NBC Sports Gold |
*denotes same-day delay
NBC SPORTS GOLD TO PROVIDE LIVE, COMMERCIAL-FREE COVERAGE OF ALL GALLAGHER PREMIERSHIP RUGBY MATCHES
NBC Sports Gold — NBC Sports Digital’s direct-to-consumer live streaming product — will give fans access to every Gallagher Premiership Rugby match of the 2018-19 season with its “Rugby Pass,” beginning with Bristol Bears v. Bath Rugby on Friday at 2:45 p.m. ET. The direct-to-consumer pass, powered by Playmaker Media, will offer fans in the U.S. unprecedented commercial-free coverage, live and on-demand, on mobile, tablet and connected TV devices. The “Rugby Pass” can be purchased for $69.99 starting today. Click here for the full Premiership Rugby on NBC Sports Gold schedule through Round 9.
PREMIERSHIP RUGBY ON NBCSPORTS.COM AND THE NBC SPORTS APP: NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app — NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, tablets, and connected TVs — will provide live streaming of all Premiership Rugby matches airing on NBCSN, as well as exclusive streaming coverage of matches each week, via “TV Everywhere,” giving consumers additional value for their subscription service, and making high quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms. NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app are powered by Playmaker Media and available on the iTunes App Store, Google Play, Windows Store, Roku Channel Store, Apple TV and Amazon Fire.
NBC Sports Gold is available on Apple iOS, Android, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast and online at NBCSportsGold.com. NBC Sports Gold is powered by Playmaker Media, NBC Sports Digital’s technology service which provides end-to-end support for companies in need of best-in-class live streaming and VOD solutions.
–NBC SPORTS–