BBC retains Commonwealth Games rights for 2018 edition

UK public-service broadcaster the BBC has extended its long-term rights deal for the Commonwealth Games to cover the 2018 edition of the multi-sport event.

The BBC will broadcast 180 hours of live coverage of the Games, which are due to take place in the Gold Coast region of Australia from April 4-15, 2018.

Live coverage will be broadcast through the night by the BBC, with events taking place in Australia nine hours ahead of UK local time.

The live coverage will be supported by repeats during the day and peak-time evening highlights across the BBC One and BBC Two channels as well as the BBC Sport website and the BBC iPlayer digital service.

Gold Coast 2018 will be the 17th consecutive Games to be broadcast live by the BBC, which has had to scale back its sports-rights portfolio in recent months following a government-imposed cut in its budget.