UK public-service broadcaster the BBC has retained rights for highlights of the Premier League after signing a new three-year deal covering the 2016-17 to 2018-19 seasons of the top division of English football.
The BBC will pay a total of £204m (€256.4m/$318.6m) for the rights, or an average of £68m per season. The broadcaster is paying £60m per season in its current three-year deal, which runs until the end of the 2015-16 season.
The rights cover the Saturday evening Match of the Day programme, the Sunday morning repeat, MOTD2 on Sunday evenings and other evenings when Premier League fixtures justify a programme.
Additionally, for the first time the rights will include a midweek magazine programme that will be shown at 10pm on the BBC Two channel. All of the BBC’s Premier League programmes will be available on the BBC iPlayer video-on-demand service.
Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore said. “The UK highlights allow the competition to be viewed by the maximum number of fans across the country and the addition of a midweek magazine show will add a new dimension to the BBC’s Premier League coverage.
“This season is Match of the Day’s 50th anniversary – an illustration of the BBC’s commitment to top flight English football – and a fitting year in which to renew our partnership with them.”