UK public-service broadcaster the BBC has extended its deal with IMG through a new four-year contract which is set to see the agency continue to produce live coverage of the three major UK snooker tournaments until 2021.
The deal includes live and highlights coverage for the BBC of the World Championship, which is currently taking place at The Crucible in Sheffield, along with the UK Championship and The Masters.
The new agreement will take the relationship between IMG and BBC Sport to nearly 25 years, with the two parties having started working together back in 1997.
Alison Witkover, IMG’s executive producer, said: “With more than 250 hours per season on BBC2, we are constantly trying to innovate and excite with our coverage of these prestigious events. These three tournaments are huge on the snooker calendar, both in terms of the quality of the players and their popularity with viewers.”
In December, the BBC extended its rights deal with World Snooker to cover the sanctioning body’s three major tournaments. The renewal will run for five seasons, from 2019-20 to 2023-24.