BBC retains Premier League rights

The BBC has retained the rights to broadcast Premier League highlights for another four seasons. The renewed contract sees Match of the Day and its sister show, Match of the Day 2, aired on the BBC until the end of the 2013 campaign.

The broadcaster agreed a deal with FA bosses today (January 28) to continue to show Match of the Day on Saturday and Sunday and MOTD2 on Sunday evenings – and other evenings when fixtures justify.

In a new deal, the Sunday highlights show on MOTD2 will be available on BBC iPlayer every Tuesday from 2010.

Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore says: “The BBC’s commitment to the league, the clubs and their fans has been an undoubted success. The free-to-air highlights are a critical part of the Premier League’s broadcast presence, helping the competition and our clubs reach the maximum domestic audience possible, and we are pleased to see our relationship continue.”

Roger Mosey, director of BBC Sport, adds: “Match of the Day is a major landmark for the BBC, and we’re delighted that it will continue to showcase the best of the Premier League for a further three years. The programme’s audiences have been growing strongly during the current contract, and it remains the place where most people in the UK watch top league action.”

“It’s also great for fans to have MOTD2 on the BBC iPlayer for the first time – meaning we have a rich array of football content online,” he adds.