BBC Radio 5 Live, TalkSport, Absolute Radio Extend EPL Deal For Three Years

BBC Radio 5 Live, TalkSport and Absolute Radio "have held onto the same Premier League rights as they currently broadcast in the latest three-year radio deal" announced on Tuesday, according to John Plunkett of the London GUARDIAN. 5 Live "will continue to have the first pick of matches at 3pm on Saturday afternoons," with Saturday lunchtime, Sunday afternoon and Monday night fixtures, "making up four of the seven rights packages on offer." TalkSport, "which has made substantial inroads into the BBC's portfolio of live sport in recent years," will broadcast Saturday evening kickoffs and Sunday lunchtime fixtures, two of the seven packages. Absolute Radio "has picked up the seventh," the second choice of kickoffs at 3pm on Saturday afternoons. There "had been speculation that TalkSport could win more live Premier League football with the BBC's sports budgets under pressure" and that Absolute "might move away from live football" (GUARDIAN, 4/9).