BT Sport extends exclusively live Bundesliga football until 07

DC14-084 February 27, 2014

BT Sport extends exclusively live Bundesliga football until 2017

BT Sport has won another victory by securing exclusively live German Bundesliga football in the UK and Republic of Ireland until 2017, following a competitive tender for the new rights.

The new two-year contract, which starts in September 2015, means that BT Sport will show around 115 live matches a season from the highly-rated German top flight which is about 15 more matches than the current deal. BT Sport will also have the rights to the annual DFL Supercup matches plus previews and highlights shows.

The Bundesliga deal will add to the European riches on offer for BT Sport customers, as it coincides with the start of BT's exclusive live rights to the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League. BT won the exclusive live broadcast rights to all 350 matches from both tournaments. The rights run for three seasons from 2015/16.

BT Sport already holds the current rights to show the Bundesliga exclusively live in the UK. For the remainder of the current season and next season, the channels will continue to show around 100 live matches, plus action from the DFL Supercup and preview and highlights shows.

The action from the German top flight has seen some of the most fascinating football on offer in Europe this year, as current Bundesliga and UEFA Champions League holders Bayern Munich power ahead of their close rivals Borussia Dortmund, who they beat in the Wembley final of the UEFA Champions League last season, and Bayer Leverkusen, managed by former Liverpool legend Sami Hyypia.

The UK audience reach for the Bundesliga on BT Sport this season is up 70 per cent from last season's audience figure.

Simon Green, head of BT Sport, said: We are really thrilled that we will continue to be the home of Bundesliga for the next three seasons until 2017.

Combined with our incredible line-up of exclusively live matches from the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League, the Bundesliga takes its place in our schedule as one of the premium European league competitions, having provided both European finalists last season.

Our viewers have loved the opportunity to watch live matches involving some of the most outstanding teams in Europe and pitting charismatic managers like Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp against each other.

I am delighted that the Bundesliga recognised that BT Sport has made a big commitment to German football and will continue to promote and foster the league for UK sports lovers in the future.

Jorg Daubitzer, managing director of DFL Sports Enterprises, said: Bundesliga football is held in high regard at BT Sport, something which is not least of all reflected in the broad-based high quality reporting which it receives. Never before have so many Bundesliga matches been shown with such broad penetration in the United Kingdom. We are very pleased to be able to continue this successful cooperation.

BT Sport is the UKs newest and most vibrant sports TV service, with three channels showing live top tier action from the Barclays Premier League and the Aviva Premiership as well as a host of other sport. BT has more than two-and-a-half million customers who take the service and the channels reach more than four million homes when BT's wholesale deal with Virgin Media is taken into account.

It is also the home for other top European league football, showing regular live matches from Frances Ligue1 and Italys Serie A.

Enquiries about this news release should be made to the BT Group Newsroom on its 24-hour number: 020 7356 5369. From outside the UK dial + 44 20 7356 5369. E-mail: newsroom@bt.com

All news releases can be accessed at our web site: http://www.bt.com/newscentre

Notes to editors

About BT

BT is one of the world's leading providers of communications services and solutions, serving customers in more than 170 countries. Its principal activities include the provision of networked IT services globally; local, national and international telecommunications services to its customers for use at home, at work and on the move; broadband, TV and internet products and services; and converged fixed/mobile products and services. BT consists principally of four lines of business: BT Global Services, BT Retail, BT Wholesale and Openreach.

For the year ended 31 March 2013, BT Group's reported revenue was £18,103m with reported profit before taxation of £2,315m.British Telecommunications plc (BT) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BT Group plc and encompasses virtually all businesses and assets of the BT Group. BT Group plc is listed on stock exchanges in London and New York.

For more information, visit www.btplc.com.

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