The BBC "will be showing the NFL this coming season with live coverage of all three London games and the Super Bowl," according to Tom Sheen of the London INDEPENDENT. Sky Sports had sole rights to the season -- it will show more than 100 live games this season -- but after Channel 4 opted against renewing its coverage, "leaving terrestrial TV without a broadcaster, the BBC have moved in." The two-year deal "includes coverage of Super Bowl 50 in TV, radio and the BBC Sport website, with a weekly highlights show to run on BBC Two, although that will begin in November after the end of the third game at Wembley Stadium" (INDEPENDENT, 9/9). In London, Mark Sweney wrote it "is a rare TV sports rights win for the corporation, which in recent months has lost the bulk of Six Nations rugby to ITV, Open Championship golf to Sky and control of the destiny of Olympics coverage to Discovery." BBC Sport Dir Barbara Slater said, "NFL has a growing fan base in the U.K. and I’m delighted that the BBC can bring it free-to-air for our audience." This season, the Wembley clash between the N.Y. Jets and Miami Dolphins on October 4 "will be exclusively live on BBC2" (GUARDIAN, 9/9). In L.A., Georg Szalai reported financial details were not disclosed, "but the agreement comes at a time when the British government is looking to reduce the size and scope of the public broadcaster" (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 9/9). The BBC Sport website and mobile app will carry on-demand video clips throughout the new season, which begins on Thursday (BBC).
