BBC Plans To Broadcast An Extra 1000 Hours Of Sport

03 Nov 2017 | tshego

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The BBC has announced plans to broadcast an extra 1,000 hours of live sport a year, which director general, Tony Hall, said was an attempt to “reinvent free-to-air sports broadcasting”.

The increase will see more than 30 additional sports or sporting events, which includes the Women’s Super League football, the British Basketball League and wheelchair tennis, streamed live via iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.

Reports state that talks have been held with The FA, All England Lawn Tennis Club, the International Tennis Federation, British Swimming and British Basketball.

In 2017, the broadcaster streamed a live match from every qualifying round of The FA Cup and last week streamed the England’s 5-2 win in the Under-17 World Cup Final.

Over the past 10-years, the BBC has given up over half of the Six Nations, lost The Open to Sky as well as a host of other rights. However, cricket will return in 2020 for the first time in over 20 years. The BBC has the rights to the Olympic Games, Wimbledon, World Cup and FA Cup on long-term deals.

Hall said: “This shows how we’re reinventing the BBC for a new generation. We’re giving people more of what they love by working in partnership with the sports industry and making the most of digital technology.”

Barbara Slater, head of BBC Sport, said: “We’ve seen the nation get behind by a whole host of sports in recent years, especially at major events.

“We want to use BBC Sport’s live streaming service to showcase more of those moments that inspire people to take part.”