FA Cup nets £60m

Wednesday, 09/12/2009

American broadcaster ESPN has added live FA Cup games to the Premier League matches it already has rights to screen.

The TV company picked up top-flight matches that were left up in the air when Setanta went bust earlier this year.

Now, in a deal thought to be worth around £60m, ESPN will broadcast live FA Cup games for the next four years, starting with next season’s competition.

ESPN will lose some of their Premier League games next campaign but have bolstered their football coverage by also agreeing deals to screen the new Women’s Super League and England Under-21 games.

The station will show two matches in the first and second rounds, three matches from the third to fifth, two quarter-finals and one semi-final each season.

ITV will broadcast one match in the first and second rounds, two matches from the third to fifth, two quarter-finals and a semi-final for the next three seasons.

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