Uefa Champions League matches are set to be broadcasted by ESPN in the US as part of a four-year sublicensing agreement with Fox Sports Media Group, reports, www.sportspromedia.com/. Fox agreed a US$195 million deal in December last year to retain the Champions League rights throughout the US and Caribbean. That contract runs until the end of the 2017/18 season and covers rights in both English and Spanish.
ESPN has now reached an agreement with Fox to carry a selection of games from that package starting this season.
Online streaming service ESPN3 has English-language rights to up to 68 matches per season, including 60 group stage games. ESPN also has replay rights for select matches online and on-demand. The exact inventory of games will be decided once Fox has chosen its exclusive games.
ESPN Deportes, meanwhile, will carry Spanish-language coverage of 72 matches, including play-offs ties, group stage games and knockout matches.
The Spanish sports network will also show the Champions League final and Uefa Super Cup in 2015/16 and 2017/18. Fox Deportes will show Spanish-language coverage of the final matches this season and in 2016/17.
ESPN Deportes Radio will broadcast the entire Champions League competition each season, while ESPN Deportes will also remain the exclusive Spanish-language broadcaster of Uefa's second-tier competition, the Europa League.
"We are delighted to have the Uefa Champions League back on ESPN. This is a great opportunity to continue engaging avid soccer fans and inviting in new ones after the unprecedented success of the World Cup in Brazil," said Scott Guglielmino, ESPN's senior vice president of programming.
"We are pleased to work with Fox Sports to deliver the world's most prestigious club soccer tournament and we look forward to showcasing some of the sport's best players and most important clubs."
