Amazon Prime Video close to striking deal to broadcast Champions League matches in the UK
Coverage of the Champions League in the United Kingdom is expected to appear on Amazon Prime in 2024, with highlights airing on the BBC for the first time.
Since 2015, BT Sport has been the sole broadcaster of Champions League matches in the United Kingdom, having beaten Sky to the TV rights. But that may be about to change, as it has been widely reported that Amazon Prime is set to pay £1.5 billion to have the first choice on which Tuesday night games to show.
Meanwhile, the BBC has committed “significant resources” wanting to bring European football back to domestic television, according to The Times. The streaming service will have first pick of live games on Tuesday nights, with BT Sport retaining other matches and highlights.
Since 2015, BT Sport has been the sole UK broadcaster of the Champions League, having paid £1.2 billion for the rights to air the competition between 2022 and 2024. However, rights are set to be shared in the coming years.
An official announcement could be made as early as Friday the 1st of July. Amazon’s interest in the Champions League has been strong and concrete for some time, following successful launches in the German and Italian marketplaces last season.
Read More: Watch: Real Madrid legend Marcelo cleans the pitch after his son celebrates like Cristiano Ronaldo
What is UEFA’s new ‘Swiss Model’ which will be introduced in the Champions League from 2024?
On Wednesday evenings, highlights show similar to Match of the Day will air. The new TV deal will coincide with the expansion of the Champions League group stage from 32 to 36 teams under UEFA’s new ‘Swiss model’ plans, with 189 matches played per season as opposed to 125.
Clubs will compete in a single table and will be guaranteed eight games against opponents of varying quality. The top eight teams will advance to the round of 16, while the remaining 16 teams will compete in a play-off round.
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