Channel 4 set to show Lions tour highlights

Deal would mark return to terrestrial TV after 28 years Gatland looks at Jersey base in the event of a home series

Coverage of British and Irish Lions matches is to return to terrestrial television for the first time in 28 years, Telegraph Sport can reveal.

It is understood that Channel 4 is in advanced negotiations with the Lions to secure the rights to show a highlights package of every game of the scheduled tour in South Africa this summer. Lions matches have not been shown on terrestrial television since ITV held the rights for the 1993 tour of New Zealand, and the highlights shows would be expected to attract huge audiences.

Sky Sports, which will broadcast all eight scheduled tour matches live, has held the broadcast rights since the 1997 tour of South Africa. The fact that Channel 4 is engaged in negotiations indicates optimism the series will take place, even if doubts remain about whether the tour of South Africa will go ahead as scheduled because of the pandemic.

Rugby Australia this week offered to underwrite costs of relocating the tour Down Under. It is confident staging the tour would be a huge commercial success and give players the experience of a real tour.

The Lions have also made a request to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport to underwrite the series if it was played in the United Kingdom.

The home series option, which received a major boost on Monday when the Government’s lockdown roadmap outlined that crowds may be able to attend sporting events by July, is still not viable without costs being underwritten, given continuing uncertainty of the situation.

Key sponsors, including Vodafone,

are also likely to be consulted over the decision, which is expected early next month.

Meanwhile, the Lions are strongly considering establishing a training base in Jersey as a contingency for a home tour.

Lions head coach Warren Gatland recently flew out to the Channel islands on a recce to visit a new, multi-million-pound complex called Strive. Gatland is understood to have been very impressed by the complex.