BBC Inks Three-Year, $242M Deal To Air Premier League Highlights

Deal Allows BBC To Show More Coverage Online Via The BBC Web Site, BBC iPlayer

The BBC has signed a three-year, US$242M deal to keep highlights of English Premier League (EPL) soccer on BBC1 -- a pact that BBC Dir of Sport Roger Mosey said is "level with its current contract," according to Mimi Turner of the HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. Mosey on his blog said that the BBC "will have rights to show highlights of Premiership games on its 'Match of the Day' Saturday and Sunday program" from August '10-13. The deal also "will allow the BBC to put more of the soccer coverage online via the BBC Web site and the BBC iPlayer." Mosey said that the deal is "good value for the BBC and that 'Match of the Day' audience numbers had grown to a record average of 3.8 million viewers a week" (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 1/29).

FREE KICK: In Manchester, Matt Scott writes, "There was industry bemusement yesterday that the BBC maintained its high levels of spending on Premier League highlights for Match of the Day. With Channel Four all but disbanding its sports department, Channel Five having spent its sports budget on cricket and ITV's expenditure committed to England and the FA Cup, the BBC were always going to have a clear run at the rights for the three seasons." That "lack of competition prompted rival broadcasters to question why the BBC did not reduce its bid" from the US$242M it paid in '07 (Manchester GUARDIAN, 1/29).