Premier League: BBC acquires TV rights for 2016-2019 match highlights for €271.5m

The BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) extended its broadcasting rights for highlights of Barclays Premier League matches in the United Kingdom for the 2016-2019 cycle, announced the British public service broadcaster and the Premier League on 29/01/2015. The BBC has broadcasted highlights of the English first division on its Match of the Day programme since 22/08/1964, a span of more than 50 years (except for the 2001-04 cycle, when they were broadcasted on the private free-TV channel ITV).

The BBC was in competition with ITV for the acquisition of the rights for the 2016-2019 cycle. The British public broadcasting group will pay £204m (€271.5m) to the Premier League over the 2016-2019 period, £68m (€90.5m) per season. This amount is 13.5% higher than what the BBC paid for 2013-2016 (£179.7m for the period, €208.5m in July 2013, which comes to £59.9m per season, €69.5m in July 2013). The BBC paid £173m for the acquisition of rights for 2010 to 2013 (€211m in July 2010), £57.6m per season (€70.3m in July 2010).

Premier League TV rights acquired by the BBC for the 2016-2019 cycle