The move could end the Premiership's presence on the BBC, which runs until the end of the season in May. Currently, the BBC airs about 12 highlights programmes over the season.
Premier Rugby commercial director Jon Varney said his focus was on "creating a better terrestrial window" for rugby. "Rugby is important to the BBC, but we need to see more highlights on terrestrial," he added. "We want, at a minimum, a weekly one-hour highlights programme with a terrestrial broadcaster."
Varney said "no formal discussions" had yet been initiated: "ITV is committed to sport and it has done well with the Rugby World Cup. Rugby union has a great demographic."
The BBC indicated that it will not be extending its coverage. Premier Rugby is about to start the renegotiating process with main sponsor Guinness, whose current deal ends next season.
Varney said he would push Sky to air more than the current one or two live matches per week to enable the creation of more highlights content for a terrestrial deal. Sky's rights deal runs until 2009.
_1.jpg)
.jpg)
