Uefa Champions/ Europa/ Conference League rights 2024-27: Premier, VMTV, and RTE

I think to be fair it’s been reported in a number of sources, and there’s not always an official release from UEFA or Team in respect of the smaller markets.

Probably warrants a new thread, so I’ll split it off.

Not clear, at the moment VMTV haven’t won any rights.

One source is suggesting that RTE will be moving back to Wednesday nights and will have first choice but that’s not clear either.

I suppose what must be remembered is that the new formats will mean more games with each team playing 8 games over ten weeks (there’ll be one “exclusive” week where some Champions League games will be played on the Thursday instead of Europa & Conference League games) so the rights might not look exactly how they used to.

VMTV have been awarded a package of 166 games comprising 4 FTA games each week of the league phase, two each on Tuesday and Wednesday nights plus four games, two each on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, on the VMTV More channel that is only available to VM cable customers.

Quite clearly that’s not a satisfactory postion for the majority of us that don’t take VM cable, but similar to the last-but-one rights deal where the old VMTV Sport channel had the pay TV rights (although there was a short lived deal with eir that went belly up after not too long unfortunately as part of wider rows between the two).

Remaining questions:

(1) This deal is wider than VMTV’s current deal and it seems to encompass a pay package as well as FTA. With that in mind what exactly have Premier won? They have first choice on Tuesday and at least one game on Wednesday but the rest is unclear?

(2) Where if anything do RTE figure in this? Reports that they had won a Wednesday game but nothing official ever announced?

This very interesting titbit in the press release about the launch of Amazon.ie:

“Prime members in Ireland will also be able to watch UEFA Champions League football on Prime Video starting from next season.”

https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/retail/amazon-ireland-store-launch

This is 17 Tuesday night fixtures. Essentially the same package Premier Sports has.

In some ways it shouldn’t be a surprise - the UK Champions League rights have always included non-exclusive rights in Ireland - but I’m still a bit surprised on this one.

That’d also seem to be the confirmation TNT’s coverage will continue to be available here.

well, obviously Premier and RTE can’t both have first choice on a Wednesday, but right now it’s actually unclear if RTE have anything at all as the only source is second hand (The 42).

Pretty certain LiveScore are out though. I wouldn’t read anything into the Saran Media reference in that regard.

With no official announcement re renewal could tonight be the end of RTE’s coverage of the Champions League? Maybe there’ll be some sort of indication as to whether it’s the end during the coverage.

The issue with that report is that it’s not consistent with Premier’s own announcement that they have first pick on Wednesday and there’s been no confirmation from UEFA of RTE picking up rights.

First game of the deal now not that far away - Real Madrid v Atlanta in the UEFA Super Cup final on Wednesday week on Premier 1.

Hopefully at that stage who has what will start to become clearer.