BBC scores Premier League highlights renewal
January 30, 2018
By Colin Mann
The BBC says it will remain the free-to-air home for football after announcing it will continue to show English Premier League TV highlights for a further three years. It secured the rights following an open and competitive processwith a bid of £211.5 million (€240.5m).
In the 2016-17 season, the BBC’s Premier League football programming was watched by 37 million people and there were a further 40 million requests for these shows on BBC iPlayer, which the BBC suggests confirms it as the number one choice for football fans wanting a comprehensive round up of Premier League action.
As well as Match Of The Day, the new deal covers the weekend programming of the Sunday morning Match Of The Day repeat, MOTD2, Football Focus, plus midweek magazine show The Premier League Show through to and including the 2021/22 season.
“To keep Premier League highlights on the BBC is testament to the continued success and popularity of Match Of The Day,” commented Barbara Slater, Director, BBC Sport. “Our longstanding partnership with the Premier League continues to flourish and evolve as seen with the recently-launched Super Movers initiative. The new deal strengthens that relationship even further and ensures the nation’s favourite sport will continue to be seen by the widest possible audience.”
“To secure the Premier League highlights for another three years is fantastic news for football fans all over the UK and ensures the BBC remains the free to air home with the iconic Match of the Day at the heart of all the action,” added Charlotte Moore, Director BBC Content.
“We are extremely pleased that our partnership with BBC Sport will continue through to 2022,” declared Premier League Executive Chairman, Richard Scudamore. “They do an excellent job of making the Premier League available to millions of fans across the UK with a range of high quality programming and content.”
“People engage with the Premier League in so many different ways yet Match of the Day continues to go from strength to strength, remaining extremely popular with more than seven million tuning in every weekend. We look forward to continuing our work with BBC Sport on all their Premier League programming and content, and to use the popularity and reach of our two organisations for good through the recently-launched Super Movers initiative.”