UK public-service broadcaster the BBC has today (Thursday) unveiled plans to provide an array of content to compensate for the lack of sporting action it would have televised due to Covid-19.
Faced with the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 summer Olympic Games, the BBC will air the London 2012 opening ceremony once again this spring on BBC One along with a number of highlights programmes showcasing the key moments from the rest of London’s Games, including ‘Super Saturday’, when Team GB won six gold medals. The BBC will also provide highlights from Rio 2016.
In June and July, in place of Uefa Euro 2020, the BBC will air some of the most memorable international football matches from the past. This will include the best of Euro 96 when England hosted the tournament.
Commercial free-to-air broadcaster ITV this week announced that it will offer the competition in full. ITV, the BBC and pan-European sports broadcaster Eurosport all held broadcast rights in the UK to the Euro 96 tournament.
The Match Of The Day programme will retain its place on Saturday nights, as the BBC’s football pundits choose their favourite Premier League matches and top moments from years gone by. The recent shows have included TV podcasts featuring presenters and pundits from Match of the Day, including former England footballer Gary Lineker.
English professional football remains postponed until April 30 at the earliest, with stakeholders last month reaching an agreement that will allow the domestic season to extend beyond June 1.
The BBC said the Football Focus programme will continue every week, adding that “classic matches” will be offered every Saturday and Sunday afternoon. The BBC Sport website and iPlayer live streaming and on-demand service will show in full some of the best matches from the broadcaster’s archive, as part of a weekly ‘Rewind’ series.
With Wimbledon becoming the latest major event to be cancelled yesterday, the BBC said it will broadcast some of the tennis grand slam’s greatest ever moments in July. Finally, in place of this year’s World Snooker Championship, fans will this month be able to watch classic matches from tournaments gone by.