ITV Keeps Live Rights to Champions League

LONDON, March 21: ITV won
the rights to the last remaining live UEFA Champions League games for a
three-year period from 2009 to 2012 for a reported £55 million a year.

ITV will broadcast the
first pick of Wednesday night games throughout the tournament, including the
final and UEFA Super Cup final. ITV, which has had the UEFA Champions League
rights since the tournament began in 1992, will broadcast 18 games per season.

Earlier this week, Sky
acquired the majority of the TV rights to Champions League football until 2012,
after offering a bid believed to be more than £240 million.

There is speculation that
ITV passed on the rights to live coverage of Formula One races, allowing the
BBC to snatch them back after 12 years, so that it would be able to afford the
UEFA rights.

—By Anna Carugati