BT Sport ‘retain rights to broadcast the Champions League in UK as they snap up the next three years of TV rights’
- BT Sport have snapped up the Champions League rights for another three years
- The value of the deal with UEFA has not fallen from the last £1.2bn price
- They have beaten competition from both Sky Sports and ITV for the deal
BT Sport have retained the rights to broadcast the Champions League in the United Kingdom, according to a report.
The Associated Press are reporting that the BT-backed channel will continue to show every game in the competition live and also broadcast highlights for three seasons from 2021-22.
The value of the deal has not fallen from the £1.2billion that BT paid for the rights for the 2018-21 period, although the details have not yet emerged.
BT Sport have retained the rights to broadcast the Champions League in the United Kingdom
It means that the Champions League will remain on subscription television.
But BT have traditionally made the final of the elite club competition available to watch for free.
They have managed to beat competition from Sky Sports, which held the rights until 2015.
The BT-backed channel will continue to show every game in the competition live
ITV were also looking into regaining some rights and bringing the competition back to free-to-air TV after previously showing one game per round.
The Champions League was won by Liverpool last season and the final included two English sides, with Spurs the losing finalists.
UEFA have also sold the rights in the United States. CBS and Univision will share coverage, paying a combined $140m (£108m) a season from 2021.
Both BT Sport and UEFA declined to comment when contacted by the Associated Press.
The value of the deal has not fallen from the £1.2bn BT paid for the rights for the 2018-21 period