RTÉ and FAI seal new broadcast deal

RTÉ and the FAI last night signed a new four-year broadcast deal.

The four-year contract extension, (2010-2014) guarantees RTÉ TV and radio live coverage of all of the Republic of Ireland home internationals in European and World Cup qualification rounds, up to and including World Cup 2014 in Brazil; and RTÉ.ie live simultaneous webcasting of these games.

RTÉ Television will have deferred access to all of the Republic of Ireland’s home friendly internationals, while RTÉ Radio will broadcast these matches live.

RTÉ will also increase their coverage of the domestic game with a weekly one-hour highlights programme featuring reports and analysis of action in the Eircom League. Live match broadcasts will also grow over the term of the contract, culminating with 33 live matches (one-per-week) in the final year of the term — the 2013 season.

RTÉ Radio will continue to broadcast live its popular Eircom League of Ireland show on Friday nights throughout the duration of the contract, while RTÉ.ie will offer Irish soccer fans abroad the chance to watch Eircom League of Ireland games in full on a deferred basis.

RTÉ Group Head of Sport, Glen Killane, said: “This contract win is testament to the quality of RTÉ Sport coverage of Irish soccer in the past, and our commitment to continue to serve, to the best of our ability, the legion of Irish soccer fans in the future. It is a reflection of the calibre of our commentators, our contributors, and our editorial staff behind the scenes. We are delighted to be bringing this wealth of coverage to fans leading up to and including the World Cup itself in Brazil in 2014, and supporting, to an ever-greater degree, the grass roots of Irish football — in the Eircom League itself.”

John Delaney, chief executive, FAI, said: “This is ground-breaking for the Eircom League of Ireland and will bring its profile to a new level with the introduction of a weekly one-hour prime-time highlights programme. The commitment to increase the number of live games to one per week during the course of the deal is another tremendous boost for the league.”