BT has managed to secure rights to show live German Bundesliga football in the UK and Republic of Ireland until 2017.
The new two-year contract, which starts in September 2015, means that BT Sport will show around 115 live matches a season of top-flight German football – which is about 15 more matches than the current deal. BT Sport will also have the rights to the annual DFL Supercup matches plus previews and highlights shows.
The Bundesliga deal coincides with the start of BT’s exclusive live rights to the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League. BT won the exclusive live broadcast rights to all 350 matches from both tournaments. The rights run for three seasons from 2015/16.
BT Sport already holds the current rights to show the Bundesliga exclusively live in the UK. For the remainder of the current season and next season, the channels will continue to show around 100 live matches, plus action from the DFL Supercup and preview and highlights shows.
The broadcaster said that UK audience reach for the Bundesliga on BT Sport this season is up 70 per cent from last season’s audience figure.
Simon Green, head of BT Sport, said: “We are really thrilled that we will continue to be the home of Bundesliga for the next three seasons until 2017.
“Combined with our incredible line-up of exclusively live matches from the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League, the Bundesliga takes its place in our schedule as one of the premium European league competitions, having provided both European finalists last season.”
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