Advanced Television

BT Sport extends Heineken Champions Cup rights

October 5, 2022

BT Sport will continue to broadcast every game from the Heineken Champions Cup after agreeing a new multi-year partnership with EPCR.

As lead broadcaster in the UK and Ireland since 2015, BT Sport will continue to televise the pool and knockout stages of Europe’s premier club competition until the conclusion of the 2023/24 season, plus select games from the EPCR Challenge Cup.

For the first time in the competition’s history, the upcoming season will feature teams from the southern hemisphere, as three South African clubs join the race to be crowned kings of Europe.

EPCR Chairman, Dominic McKay, commented: “Following on from what was a magnificent finals weekend in Marseille last May, we are delighted to continue to work with BT Sport, who have delivered incredible coverage of, and growing audiences for, our competitions. It is also significant we welcome three free-to-air partners on board in ITV, RTE and S4C, who will deliver for us in terms of viewership growth, innovation and profile in key markets as we welcome South African clubs into the EPCR fold. BT Sport, ITV, RTE and S4C complete our broadcast partnerships in the key markets of the UK and Ireland, and with beIN SPORTS and France Télévisions in France, SuperSport in South Africa and FloSports in the USA, we are looking forward to bringing the pinnacle of international club rugby to more audiences than ever before.”

Rachel Knight, sports rights director, BT Sport, added: “Today’s news means BT Sport remains the home of club rugby in the UK and Ireland, offering unrivalled coverage from the Heineken Champions Cup and the EPCR Challenge Cup, plus, multiple live matches every week from Gallagher Premiership Rugby.”

Last month, BT Group and Warner Bros Discovery completed their transaction to form a 50-50 joint venture that combines the assets of BT Sport and Eurosport UK.

Categories: Articles, Content, Rights

Tags: , , ,