Football League and Sky Sports agree new broadcasting partnership

18 July 2013

Football League and Sky Sports agree new broadcasting partnership

The Football League and Sky Sports have agreed a new five year partnership that includes extending their existing broadcasting agreement for a further three years until 2018.

The partnership will also see Sky Bet become title sponsor of The Football League and Sky Sports offer more exclusively live matches than ever before, an increase of 37 live games per season.

From 2015/2016, a total of 148 live games will be shown each season from the Sky Bet Football League, Capital One Cup and Johnstone's Paint Trophy. The partnership ensures that Sky Sports viewers can enjoy Football League coverage for another five years, including coverage of all 72 clubs from the three divisions.

The announcement, on the eve of Sky Sports' biggest ever season of football, is more good news for viewers who already enjoy unrivalled live football coverage.

From August 2015, Sky Sports will broadcast exclusively live each season:

112 matches from across the Sky Bet Football League.

The Football League Play-Offs including all three Finals.

15 matches from the Capital One Cup including both legs of each semi-final and the final.

The Johnstone's Paint Trophy Final and at least two matches from the preceding rounds.

Sky Sports will also broadcast highlights and clips of the Sky Bet Football League, Capital One Cup and Johnstone's Paint Trophy. The agreement encompasses television, broadband internet, video-on-demand and mobile services.

In announcing the new agreement, Football League Chairman, Greg Clarke said: We place huge value on the commitment Sky has made to our competitions and our clubs over many seasons and we are delighted that they wish to extend our relationship in this way. Supporters will also welcome this news given the outstanding breadth of coverage delivered by Sky Sports.

The Football League is focused on delivering financial sustainability to our member clubs and this agreement will help us achieve that aim. Already we are delivering careful management of costs through our Financial Fair Play regulations and now we can add increased revenues to our clubs. They will be delighted by this news and the financial certainty it brings for the next 5 years.

Barney Francis, Managing Director of Sky Sports, added: This agreement offers Sky Sports viewers more matches, more choice and more drama from all 72 clubs across The Football League. Extending our Football League coverage until 2018 is excellent news for our viewers who have never enjoyed such a strong choice of live football coverage. We are proud of our partnership with The Football League and can look forward to even more drama and excitement from its competitions for another five seasons.

Sky's Football League coverage is screened live and in HD in home and on the move via mobile and tablet devices. This season it has launched FL72, a new live showcase for the best matches from the Football League. Presented by Simon Thomas, fixtures from the Championship and Leagues 1 and 2 will kick off in a regular slot at 12.15pm.

To celebrate Sky Sports' new line up of football, programmes from Sky Sports 1 will replace the regular programming on Sky 2 (on Sky and other pay TV services) and Pick TV (on Freeview and You View) on Saturday 17th August. The takeover means millions of home viewers can enjoy a live Premier League match, a Football League fixture, plus a host of other football shows at no cost.

*The free day will conclude at 8pm

*Freeview reception subject to transmission coverage.

*Sky 2 is available on Sky, Virgin Media, Talk Talk. Customers on other platforms should contact their provider.

For further information please contact:

James Motley - Sky Sports PR - james.motley@bskyb.com

Stephen Gaynor - Corporate Communications, BSkyB - stephen.gaynor@bskyb.com

www.skysports.com

Editor's Notes:

This is the 24th rights agreement awarded to Sky Sports since July 2012. The deals include Home Nations and Republic of Ireland qualification matches from UEFA EURO 2016 and 2018 FIFA World Cup, La Liga, SPL, European Tour and Ryder Cup golf, cricket from South Africa, Australia, India, New Zealand and West Indies, rugby union from the Heineken Cup, Amlin Challenge Cup, RaboDirect PRO12 and Autumn Internationals from Ireland and France, plus tennis from the ATP and US Open.

The wider football schedule on Sky Sports comprises over 500 live matches a season from international, European and domestic game. Sky Sports viewers can enjoy 116 live fixtures from the Barclays Premier League more than ever before - over 120 UEFA Champions League fixtures, over 100 fixtures from La Liga, Clydesdale Bank Premier League, William Hill Scottish Cup and much more.

LINK:	http://corporate.sky.com/media/press_releases/2013/football_league_and...
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