TV3 and RTÉ are to retain the rights to broadcast Champions League soccer for at least the next three years. TV3 will again retain the right to broadcast Tuesday night matches while RTÉ will broadcast Champions League action on Wednesday nights until May 2015.
There had been fears that RTÉ might have been priced out of a deal as it seeks to make €25m in savings by the end of next year.
However, it has secured the premium rights package from UEFA and, alongside the Champions League action, will also show the UEFA Super Cup as well as highlights and a weekly magazine programme.
Meanwhile, TV3 will also screen live Europa League action on Thursday nights for the next three seasons.
The UEFA Champions League competition has proved a huge ratings winner for both stations, with last Tuesday’s match between Chelsea and Barcelona watched by an average of over 407,000 Irish viewers on TV3.
Ryle Nugent, Group Head of Sport, RTÉ, said: “We are delighted to have been able to secure these rights in the current difficult financial climate in line with our policy of significantly reducing sports rights costs. We're particularly delighted to be able to continue to deliver UEFA Champions League live coverage to fans in Ireland until 2015.”
TV3’s Director of Programmes Ben Frow added: “The UEFA Champions League is the premium football competition in the world and we look forward to showing the best games from the top Premier League and European teams on Tuesday nights. Our coverage of Chelsea’s heroics at the Nou Camp last week yielded our highest ever Champions League audience which reached 1.1m viewers.”
