BBC bags Carling Cup
- Published: 06 November 2007 11:47
- Author: Robin Parker
- More by this Author
- Last Updated: 06 November 2007 11:47
Live Carling Cup and Coca-Cola Championship football will return to the BBC for the first time in decades after the corporation paid £264m with Sky Sports for the rights.
The Football League signed the joint agreement with BBC Sport and Sky Sports for the three seasons from 2009/2010.
As well as highlights and clips of the league and cup fixtures, the BBC will have exclusive rights to 10 live Coca-Cola Championship matches and both legs of the Carling Cup semi-finals. Both broadcasters will broadcast the Carling Cup Final live.
Sky Sports will continue its existing coverage, with a rights package that includes the exclusive broadcast of 65 Coca-Cola Football League matches and all accompanying play-offs.
In the Carling Cup, it will be the sole broadcaster of two matches from each of the first five rounds and will also cover the two legs of the semi-finals.
It will also screen live matches from the Johnstone's Paint Trophy.
The new agreements, which represent a 135% increase on the Football League's existing broadcasting arrangements, are worth £88m per season to league clubs and span terrestrial and pay television, broadband internet, video-on-demand and mobile services.
