ESPN and Major League Rugby (MLR) have reached a multiyear media rights agreement, bringing the highest level of professional rugby in the United States to ESPN platforms. Live coverage begins on Saturday, Feb. 15 as the 2025 season kicks off with five matches (6 p.m. ET, ESPN+).
Under the agreement, all regular season and playoff games will stream live on ESPN+, with a select number of matches presented on ESPN2. Additionally, fans can stream replays of each match, highlights and rugby content on The Rugby Network, following a 72-hour delay. As part of the agreement, Major League Rugby will be available across Sub-Saharan Africa.
“Major League Rugby has built a strong foundation as the premier professional rugby league in North America, and we’re thrilled to be part of its next phase of growth,” said Tim Bunnell, ESPN SVP of Programming and Acquisitions. “As MLR continues to establish itself on the North American sports landscape, we look forward to bringing the league’s dynamic competition to an even wider audience.”
“During our 2024 campaign we grew our viewership by more than 25 percent year over year. We are hyperfocused on increasing our audience and introducing rugby to more American sports fans every year. This relationship with ESPN will give us an opportunity to supercharge that growth,” said Nic Benson, Major League Rugby Commissioner. “Given the depth of talent across the league, I’m confident we’re headed toward our most exciting season yet. This strategic agreement will enable more of our fans to tune-in for some best-in-class rugby action.”
