BBC & ITV to Share Euro 2012 Rights

LONDON: BBC and ITV have committed to sharing the official broadcast rights for the UEFA Euro 2012 in the U.K.

The 31 matches of the competition will be broadcast live by both the BBC and ITV. They will split the games, each showing 16 matches, including the final, which both will broadcast. The broadcasters will also exploit the games on their respective Internet and mobile platforms.

Guy-Laurent Epstein, the marketing director of UEFA Events, said: "UEFA is delighted to continue its relationship with the BBC and ITV, our traditional broadcast partners for the UEFA European Championships. We look forward to working with the U.K.’s leading free-to-air broadcasters and are convinced that they will provide fans in the U.K. with an exceptional depth of coverage of the tournament across all media platforms.”

Niall Sloane, ITV’s controller of Sport, added: “Major events such as the Euro 2012 Championships have huge significance for our viewers and attract some of the biggest audiences on television. I’m delighted that ITV has secured an outstanding selection of games through the tournament which includes England’s opening game against France as well as a potential peak time group decider against hosts Ukraine. ITV1 will also be the home of some terrific clashes between the top teams in Europe including Spain v Ireland, Spain v Italy, Portugal v Holland and Ireland v Croatia.”

Philip Bernie, BBC’s head of TV Sport, commented: “The BBC is delighted to be showing the UEFA European Football Championship, a huge football event, which, along with the London Olympics, should ensure a fantastic sporting summer for BBC viewers. We are very happy with the live matches on BBC One, as they give us a strong climax to the event, with both semi-finals, as well as England’s quarter-final if they progress. We also have some very appetising group games, including England’s second match, against Sweden, in peak time, Ireland’s final match, against Italy, and heavyweight clashes between Holland and Germany and Germany and Portugal."