ITV and Setanta link-up lands £425m FA
deal
Football Association chief executive Brian Barwick has confirmed
the television rights for England and FA Cup matches have been
awarded to ITV and Setanta Sports starting in the 2008-09
season.
The new deal comes after the FA's partners since 2001 BBC and Sky
were outbid for the package, which takes effect from August next
year and will run until July 2012.
It will generate £425million for the FA over the four-year term - a
30% increase from the current £300million agreement with BBC and
Sky.
FA chief executive Brian Barwick said: 'We are delighted to have
concluded a four-year deal with the two companies. It is a deal
that starts from August 1 2008 and is worth in the region of
£425million. It is an increase on our current deal of £125m and a
42% increase on that previous deal.
'It means a £31m increase for the FA which gives us chance to
invest in the game again in a bigger way
'We will have in excess of £100m a year to put back into
football.'
Barwick added: 'It gives us the chance to extend the message of
football as wide as possible and give everyone a chance to enjoy
the game.
'For viewers we have ensured key FA Cup and England games get
free-to-air coverage. That was essential to us and we have
delivered on it.
'We have been able to extend coverage - we have asked both
broadcasters to look at the amateur game and make sure there is
coverage of that.
'ITV are proven deliverers of good football products. They were
there at the inception of the Champions League in 1992 and Setanta
are new kids on the block.'
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does that mean we have to pay more for EPL next season?
