The Global BBC iPlayer, the overseas pilot video-on-demand subscription service from UK public-service broadcaster the BBC, acquired internet rights in certain territories for this year’s London marathon and last weekend’s Grand National horse racing event.
The international rights to the events are distributed by BBC Worldwide, the BBC’s commercial arm, on behalf of rights-holders the Racecourse Media Group and the London Marathon.
Delayed coverage of both events will be available to users of the Global BBC iPlayer subscription service in Australia, Ireland, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, France, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria and Luxembourg. The rights to the Grand National cover the same territories excluding Ireland and Spain.
The deals for the Grand National and London marathon follow on from a similar deal for the 2012 University Boat Race, between the Oxford and Cambridge universities, earlier this month, the global iPlayer’s first ever deal for a sports event.