No Champions & Europa League highlights on ITV next season


Champions and Europa League highlights will disappear from free-to-air TV as BT Sport takes over as the sole UK broadcaster of the competitions from next season.

ITV - which once held live rights - will no longer show its regular highlights shows from next season as BT's new three-year live deal also includes the highlights rights.

It means for the first time in their history, the competitions will have no free-to-air TV presence.

But BT insists highlights (including goals, interviews, magazine shows) will all be available free of charge via its website and social media streams on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

It was confirmed BT Sport has won a new three-year deal to show the competitions in March last year in an agreement which for the first time brings together exclusive rights across all live games, highlights and in-match clips of both competitions.

The company said: "BT will enhance its social media coverage to reach new audiences by making clips, weekly highlights, UEFA's magazine show and both finals available for free on social media."

UEFA said they were excited by the new plans to show highlights.
"BT have delivered strong audiences in the UK and we are excited about their future plans for the use of social media which will engage a growing fanbase that consumes sport in different ways," Guy Lauren Epstein, UEFA marketing director, commented.

Another new development for next season's Champions League is 'doubler header' nights which will see games kick off at both 6pm and 8pm during the group stage, similar to the Europa League format.

LIVE FOOTBALL ON TV 2017-18 - COMPETITION BY COMPETITION
> Premier League LIVE TV games HERE
> EFL LIVE TV games HERE
SPFL LIVE TV games HERE
> FA Cup LIVE TV games HERE 
> Champions League LIVE TV games HERE
> Europa League LIVE TV games HERE
> National League LIVE TV games HERE