[RhysJR]

The tender for the next round of rights for the WSL is out. Quite a tight turn around, with these rights for NEXT season.

It is expected there will be more matches on Friday nights and on Saturdays at 17:30. Incumbents Sky and the BBC, as well as DAZN and TNT Sports are likely to be involved in discussions. The new company in charge of the WSL and Women's Championship is also looking at possibly moving the matches shown on the FA Player to a streaming partner, and upping the quality of those broadcasts in the process.


The move to have more matches on Saturday evenings doesn't sound ideal, but it is a symptom of there being so few slots to broadcast football across the weekend. The league is already being shown in some awkward slots like Sunday 18:45 to be away from the Premier League.

What is the current deal set up like? I thought I had read that Sky had first pick each week and BBC the second, but that wouldn't make sense if Sky passed on Chelsea v. Man City last week.

www.telegraph.co.uk 

WSL could stage Friday and Saturday night matches as part of new TV deal
It is understood that BBC and Sky, along with TNT Sports and DAZN, are all in co…
  Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

[Jon]

Prime Germany's UCL coverage is produced by S+V, so it may be the same person's influence.

I thought UEFA were pretty strict about the match graphics on UCL, so it'll be interesting to see if they stick around.

It’s not like it could be argued they’re off brand though.

[Scratch_Perry]

The tender for the next round of rights for the WSL is out. Quite a tight turn around, with these rights for NEXT season.

It is expected there will be more matches on Friday nights and on Saturdays at 17:30. Incumbents Sky and the BBC, as well as DAZN and TNT Sports are likely to be involved in discussions. The new company in charge of the WSL and Women's Championship is also looking at possibly moving the matches shown on the FA Player to a streaming partner, and upping the quality of those broadcasts in the process.


The move to have more matches on Saturday evenings doesn't sound ideal, but it is a symptom of there being so few slots to broadcast football across the weekend. The league is already being shown in some awkward slots like Sunday 18:45 to be away from the Premier League.

What is the current deal set up like? I thought I had read that Sky had first pick each week and BBC the second, but that wouldn't make sense if Sky passed on Chelsea v. Man City last week.

www.telegraph.co.uk 

Last weekend Sky had Arsenal v Man United (at a sold out Emirates Stadium) as their first pick.

(Their second pick - and third live TV game overall - was Brighton v Liverpool)

[JACKLUFC1998]

Don't know how often the live Super League Rugby games on BBC will be, but I saw on Facebook earlier that Leeds v Castleford has been moved to a 17:30 kick off on Saturday 1st June and will be shown by both the BBC and Sky.

[Brekkie]

The tender for the next round of rights for the WSL is out. Quite a tight turn around, with these rights for NEXT season.

It is expected there will be more matches on Friday nights and on Saturdays at 17:30. Incumbents Sky and the BBC, as well as DAZN and TNT Sports are likely to be involved in discussions.

I know clear slots are almost impossible to come by but a slot already occupied by the Premier League, Championship and now BBC wise by Rugby League seems a bit limiting.

[RhysJR]

The BBC will air live NBA games until the end of the season. This is the second season in a row that they have started showing some games in January/February.

www.bbc.co.uk 

BBC Sport to air live NBA games for remainder of 2023-24 season
Games will be broadcast live on the BBC including on BBC One, BBC Three and BBC …
  Source: www.bbc.co.uk

The article confirms that Barbara Slater has now officialy left the BBC, and her replacement is still not yet confirmed, "Philip Bernie, Interim Director BBC Sport".

[tvfan123!]

The BBC will air live NBA games until the end of the season. This is the second season in a row that they have started showing some games in January/February.

www.bbc.co.uk 

The article confirms that Barbara Slater has now officialy left the BBC, and her replacement is still not yet confirmed, "Philip Bernie, Interim Director BBC Sport".

I’m a little bit surprised that they are airing some of the games on BBC One. I think BBC Three is a good destination for them so I’m glad that the Beeb are at least airing some games on there. I also think that BBC Two could be a good channel for the NBA but they normally air WSL games so maybe that’s why the BBC is a bit put off by that?

[RhysJR]

I’m a little bit surprised that they are airing some of the games on BBC One. I think BBC Three is a good destination for them so I’m glad that the Beeb are at least airing some games on there. I also think that BBC Two could be a good channel for the NBA but they normally air WSL games so maybe that’s why the BBC is a bit put off by that?

Last year, all the games on BBC One aired after midnight, so it was sensible to air them on BBC One then with them only displaying a simulcast of the News Channel.

---

EDIT: Same again this year. The two games scheduled on BBC One so far will be after midnight, with the two on BBC Three coming on air at 20:30.

www.bbc.co.uk 

BBC Sport - NBA, 2024, Philadelphia 76ers v Cleveland Cavaliers
The Philadelphia 76ers host the Cleveland Cavaliers in an Eastern Conference NBA…
  Source: www.bbc.co.uk

[Brekkie]

I assume like when they picked up NFL it's virtually at no cost. Otherwise very little justification for the BBC in buying American sports.

[robertclark125]

There's a medical emergency in the audience, at the players championship snooker. Itv returned to the studio, and because the emergency is behind Stephen hendry and Ken Doherty, itv, quite rightly, didn't use the camera focusing on them, and instead used the one showing the three people in the studio. Players and audience have left the arena. Jill Douglas, the presenter, handled it well.