The most significant live broadcasting contract in British television will now run for an extra two years after BT announced the extension of its football production deal with Sunset+Vine to at least 2018.
The extension of the deal – a hugely lucrative contract for Sunset+Vine – brings with it the addition of Europa League matches and is the fruit of lengthy negotiations between the parties that were instigated after BT secured a further three-year extension to its Premier League rights earlier in the year.
“I am extremely pleased that we will be continuing our successful partnership with Sunset+Vine,” explained Simon Green, head of BT Sport. “They have been a valued partner from day one, bringing great creativity. We are impressed with their commitment to delivering high quality productions that not only benefit our business, but are also highly entertaining for our viewers.”
The original deal proved to be of major significance for Sunset+Vine, with chairman Jeff Foulser describing it as “transformational”. The extension will have calmed speculation surrounding the deal after BT expanded of its sports services to include the production of its own coverage by sending teams to Champions League matches.
The new deal will also cover BT’s exclusive rights to air Aviva Premiership rugby for the next six years.
