Football

ITV has picked up the live coverage rights to all of England’s international football matches ahead of EURO 2016 and the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

The agreement, announced today, continues and expands the channel’s commitment to showing live, free-to-air coverage of the England football team. It is the first time in recent years a single broadcaster will show all of England’s qualifying games for consecutive major tournaments . ITV has held the rights to show exclusively all England’s home games since 2008 as well as, since 2009, the team’s friendly matches both at home and away.

Today’s deal also includes the rights to broadcast 20 non-home nation qualifying games for ITV4. Continue reading »

Sky Sports has picked up the rights to the Home Nation and Republic of Ireland qualification matches for Euro 2016 and FIFA 2018 World Cup.

The new agreement with UEFA provides Sky Sports with coverage of England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, together with and all other UEFA member associations, between 2014 – 2017.

The schedule of up to 500 international matches underlines Sky Sports as the home of televised football and complements the unrivalled portfolio of rights shown across six channels. Continue reading »

ITV has shown no remorse for missing a potential scoop following the Champions League match between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund.

The broadcaster cut off Madrid manager Jose Mourinho when he was talking about a potential move to England as they were worried about running overtime.

ITV’s Gabriel Clarke had to interrupt Mourinho as he was speaking about his future to send it back to the studio team. Continue reading »

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has joined the line-up for Sky Sports football coverage in 2013/14.

The centre-back is retiring from football when the current Premier League season ends and will join Gary Nevile, Jamie Redknapp and Graeme Souness on the team.

Carragher said: “I don’t think there could be a better move for me: to retire from one of the world’s best football clubs at the end of the season and then join one of the world’s best broadcasters.”

BBC Three has been confirmed as the home of the 2013 Women’s European Football Championship.

With England representing the home nations, football fans will be able to tune in to BBC Three for a host of live matches as well as extensive highlights throughout the tournament that takes place in Sweden between 10-28 July.

Coverage of the Women’s Euros begins two days before a ball is kicked on 8 July, with a preview show on BBC Two and BBC Two HD. Once the tournament begins there will be 16 games shown live on the BBC, with 14 games of those on BBC Three and two on BBC Two & BBC Two HD, including the final on 28 July. Continue reading »

In case you weren’t watching this week’s Champions League clash between Paris St-Germain and Barcelona on ITV, here is the new viral Heineken ad that has been launched.

The ‘Road to the Final’ ad centres on one fan’s determination to make it from South America to the final at Wembley in London in May.

Heineken’s global activation director Hans Erik Tuijt stated: “We are delighted to launch the next stage of the ‘The Road to The Final’ campaign with this new TVC. Continue reading »

Not surprisingly, the French have already started poking fun at David Beckham.

The new Paris Saint-Germain player has made an “appearance” on a French TV show similar to Spitting Image here in the UK.

French channel Canal+ featured a puppet version of Becks donning a PSG shirt in a skit this week.

Guy Ritchie directing David Beckham?

Seems unlikely but it has actually happened and this is the result.

The new Paris Saint-Germain recruit features in the 90-second ad for his H&M bodywear range where he chases a car through the streets of Los Angeles after getting locked out of his house. Continue reading »

The Brazilians are coming to Wembley and if you can’t make it to London for the match, you can at least catch it on TV.

ITV has confirmed they will have live coverage of the England vs Brazil international friendly on Wednesday, 6 February.

Adrian Chiles and is merry band of pundits will be on hand to deliver full match coverage from 7pm.

The coveted production contract to produce BT Vision’s new Premier League coverage has been awarded to Sunset+Vine.

They will be responsible for producing over three years of football coverage for the broadcaster in a deal believed to be worth between £100m and £132m.

The independent production company was behind the successful coverage of the Paralympics on Channel 4 and has produced coverage of Premiership Rugby for ESPN and home England cricket matches in the past.

Chairman Jeff Foulser said: “Live football and rugby coverage have been a major part of our recent output and we can now put our creative talents into delivering top class and innovative coverage for BT Sports’ major rights acquisitions.” Continue reading »