Heineken Cup: ITV to share coverage with BBC
ITV Sport have announced a two-year deal to share coverage of the Heineken Cup, rugby union’s premier European event, with the BBC.
The channel will show live matches from the pool stages, quarter-final and semi-final rounds before screening the final live in May 2002.
The BBC still hold exclusive rights to screen live matches from all stages of the competition, including the final, on terrestrial television.
ITV have already secured deals to televise the Rugby World Cups of both 2003 and 2007 and the World Sevens Series, plus an agreement to show highlights of England’s home Six Nations matches and other internationals on ITV1.
ITV’s controller of sport Brian Barwick said: ‘‘We are delighted to add another raft of top quality sport to the ITV Sport channel.
‘‘The Heineken Cup is a terrific competition and is building every year in terms of its prestige and importance in the rugby union calendar.’’
ISN and Granada have won the contract to produce the Heineken Cup coverage to be broadcast on ITV Sport.
