FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, August 31st, 2016
NBC SPORTS GROUP BEGINS INAUGURAL SEASON OF AVIVA PREMIERSHIP RUGBY COVERAGE THIS WEEKEND ON NBCSN
NBC Sports Group to Televise and Stream More Than 70 Aviva Premiership Rugby Matches This Season
NBCSN Kicks Off Coverage With Defending Champion Saracens vs. Worcester Warriors on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. ET on NBCSN
2015-16 Runner-Up Exeter Chiefs vs. Wasps on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. ET on NBCSN
Exclusive Streaming Coverage on NBC Sports App and NBCSports.com Begins Friday at 2:45 p.m. ET – Gloucester Rugby vs. Leicester Tigers
Watch NBC Sports Group’s Premiership Rugby Theatrical Trailer
STAMFORD, Conn. – August 31, 2016 – NBC Sports Group begins its inaugural season of Aviva Premiership Rugby coverage this weekend, presenting the first of more than 70 combined Premiership Rugby matches that will be televised on NBCSN and streamed on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app during the 2016-17 campaign.
NBCSN’s coverage begins Saturday at 9:30 a.m. ET, when defending champion Saracens face Worcester Warriors at Twickenham Stadium in London. NBCSN’s coverage continues on Sunday morning at 10:30 a.m. ET, when Wasps host 2015-16 runners-up Exeter Chiefs at Ricoh Arena in Coventry.
In addition to NBCSN’s telecasts, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app will provide live, exclusive streaming coverage of a pair of matches this weekend, beginning on Friday at 2:45 p.m. ET, when Gloucester Rugby host Leicester Tigers. NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app will also stream Saturday’s match featuring Harlequins vs. Bristol Rugby at 11:30 a.m. ET.
Each weekend, NBC Sports Group will present the most compelling Premiership Rugby matches on the schedule, often preceding or following live coverage of Premier League soccer. The Premiership Rugby season will culminate with live coverage of the league Final on Saturday, May 27 on NBCSN. Click here to watch NBC Sports Group’s Aviva Premiership Rugby theatrical trailer previewing the 2016-17 campaign.
NBC Sports’ Leigh Diffey will serve as the studio host for NBCSN’s Premiership Rugby coverage. He will be joined by analyst and former Premiership Rugby player Alex Corbisiero, who played seven combined seasons for London Irish and Northampton Saints.
Alastair Eykyn, Lawrence Dallaglio, and Ugo Monye will call the match featuring Saracens and Worcester on Saturday, while Nick Mullins, Dallaglio, and Austin Healey will have the call for Wasps vs. Exeter on Sunday.
Following is NBC Sports Group’s 2016-17 Aviva Premiership Rugby schedule through Round 8 of the season:
| Date | Coverage | Time (ET) | Network |
| Fri., Sept. 2 | Gloucester Rugby vs. Leicester Tigers | 2:45 p.m. | Streaming |
| Sat., Sept. 3 | Saracens vs. Worcester Warriors* | 9:30 a.m. | NBCSN |
| Harlequins vs. Bristol Rugby | 11:30 a.m. | Streaming | |
| Sun., Sept. 4 | Wasps vs. Exeter Chiefs* | 10:30 a.m. | NBCSN |
| Fri., Sept. 9 | Worcester Warriors vs. Gloucester Rugby | 2:45 p.m. | Streaming |
| Sat., Sept. 10 | Leicester Tigers vs. Wasps | 10 a.m. | Streaming |
| Sun., Sept. 11 | Exeter Chiefs vs. Saracens | 2 p.m. | NBCSN |
| Fri., Sept. 16 | Sale Sharks vs. Gloucester Rugby | 2:45 p.m. | Streaming |
| Sat., Sept. 17 | Saracens vs. Northampton Saints | 10 a.m. | Streaming |
| Sun., Sept. 18 | Newcastle vs. Leicester Tigers | 10 a.m. | Streaming |
| Fri., Sept. 23 | Bristol Rugby vs. Exeter Chiefs | 2:45 p.m. | Streaming |
| Sat., Sept. 24 | Northampton Saints vs. Wasps | 10 a.m. | Streaming |
| Sun., Sept. 25 | Leicester Tigers vs. Bath Rugby* | 7 p.m. | NBCSN |
| Fri., Sept. 30 | Northampton Saints vs. Exeter Chiefs | 2:45 p.m. | Streaming |
| Sat., Oct. 1 | Gloucester Rugby vs. Bath Rugby* | 8 p.m. | NBCSN |
| Sun., Oct. 2 | Worcester Warriors vs. Newcastle Falcons* | 10:30 p.m. | NBCSN |
| Fri., Oct. 7 | Bath Rugby vs. Sale Sharks | 2:45 p.m. | Streaming |
| Sat., Oct. 8 | Harlequins vs. Northampton Saints | 10 a.m. | NBCSN |
| Sun., Oct. 9 | Saracens vs. Wasps* | 11 a.m. | NBCSN |
| Fri., Oct. 28 | Northampton Saints vs. Gloucester Rugby | 2:45 p.m. | Streaming |
| Sat., Oct. 29 | Saracens vs. Leicester Tigers* | 3:30 p.m. | NBCSN |
| Sun., Oct. 30 | Exeter Chiefs vs. Bath Rugby | 10 a.m. | Streaming |
| Fri., Nov. 18 | Bath Rugby vs. Bristol Rugby | 2:45 p.m. | Streaming |
| Sun., Nov. 20 | Sale Sharks vs. Saracens | 8 a.m. | Streaming |
| Leicester Tigers vs. Harlequins | 10 a.m. | Streaming |
*denotes same-day delay
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 to 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 GROUP –
