Soccer

RTÉ extends Champions League deal until 2018

Broadcaster will continue to show Wednesday night matches for further three seasons

RTÉ Sport has extended their rights deal for the Champions League for a further three seasons, up to the 2018 final of the competition. Photograph: Max Rossi/Reuters
RTÉ Sport has extended their rights deal for the Champions League for a further three seasons, up to the 2018 final of the competition. Photograph: Max Rossi/Reuters
Fri Dec 12 2014 - 14:18

RTÉ Sport has extended their rights deal for the Champions League for a further three seasons, up to the 2018 final of the competition.

The deal will see the national broadcaster continue to broadcast a live Champions League match on a Wednesday night on both RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player in the Republic of Ireland.

In a press release, RTÉ pointed to the “extremely competitive sports rights environment” in which the new deal was done and that “retaining these rights for our audience represents a significant achievement”.

Group head of RTÉ Sport, Ryle Nugent, said: "This is a great result for RTÉ and for Irish sports fans. The Uefa Champions League is undoubtedly the premier club tournament in world football and retaining live free-to-air Wednesday night rights and highlights is in keeping with RTÉ Sport's aim of bringing national teams, national games and, in the case of the Champions League, major events to Irish audiences."