UK public-service broadcaster the BBC has agreed a two-year rights deal with American football league the NFL.
Under the deal, the BBC will show live coverage of the NFL’s International Series games at London’s Wembley stadium in the 2015 and 2016 seasons, along with next year’s Super Bowl 50.
This season the Wembley clash between the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins on October 4 will be live and exclusive on BBC Two.
The Jacksonville Jaguars against the Buffalo Bills on October 25 will also be live on BBC Two, while the Detroit Lions against the Kansas City Chiefs on November 1 will be available on the Red Button service and BBC Sport website, with highlights on BBC Two.
BBC Two will broadcast a weekly highlights show, ‘The Road to the Super Bowl’, from the final Wembley game at the start of November until the season climax in February.
The BBC Sport website will also carry the highlights programme and, along with its companion mobile app, will show on-demand video clips throughout the NFL season.
The deal sees NFL rights return to the BBC after it lost the contract to commercial broadcaster Channel 4 in 2013. The 2015 NFL season begins tomorrow (Thursday) as the New England Patriots take on the Pittsburgh Steelers.