BBC And ITV Secure Euro 2008 Rights

Terrestrial broadcasters the BBC and ITV have reached a joint agreement with
UEFA for the live UK TV and digital rights to all 32 matches of Euro 2008.

The deal for the rights to the tournament, which takes place in Austria and
Switzerland next summer, covers live and highlights coverage for TV as well as
broadband and mobile rights.

The exact details of the allocation of matches per broadcaster will follow
the tournament draw early next year.

The BBC and ITV habitually bid together to win the rights to the foremost
football tournaments having shared coverage of the World Cup and European
Championships for a number of years.

The BBC and ITV have already secured the rights to the next two World Cups in
2010 and 2014.

Much of the ratings success for the broadcasters’ coverage of Euro 2008 will
depend on the qualification of the home nations, particularly England who
currently lie fourth in their group with only the top two to qualify for the
next year’s tournament.