ITV

Tag: snooker

  • World Snooker signs five year deal with BBC

    MUMBAI: World Snooker has announced a new deal which will keep the sport on UK pubcaster BBC Television until May 2011.

    The BBC will continue to screen full coverage of four major tournaments – currently the Grand Prix, the UK Championship, the Masters and the World Championship – for the next five years. The BBC states that snooker is among the most popular television sports. Viewing figures for the World Championship final in May between Shaun Murphy and Matthew Stevens peaked at 7.8 million.

    World Snooker chairman Sir Rodney Walker said, “In an era when many sports are turning to satellite networks for coverage, we are very pleased to be keeping snooker on terrestrial television until at least 2011. This is excellent news for the many millions of snooker fans in Britain. The new deal is also very positive news for our players and for the sport as a whole. The BBC and their production company TWI have set exceptional standards in the way they have broadcast snooker and this has been a key factor behind the sport’s enduring appeal to the public. “

    BBC head of general sports Barbara Slater said: “Snooker continues to be one of the most popular televised sports and we’re delighted it’s going to continue on the BBC. Snooker has been pioneering in terms of offering new technology, particularly with the introduction of interactive and broadband rights.

    Snooker world number one Ronnie O’Sullivan said, “I know how many people watch snooker on the BBC so it great news for them that they can keep watching us. I can’t imagine the big tournaments being televised on any channel other than BBC.”

  • LG Electronics to sponsor snooker events

    LONDON: World Snooker has announced that global electronics manufacturer LG Electronics will sponsor the sport’s premier circuit. In India, viewers can catch the action on ESPN Star Sports.

    The LG Electronics Tour will comprise seven events – the LG Cup, British Open, Travis Perkins UK Championship, Welsh Open, European Open, Irish Masters and Players Championship. The total prize fund for the seven events will be ?3.5 million.

    The players championship, which replaces the Scottish Open, will provide the climax to the LG Electronics Tour season. The Embassy World Championship and the Masters will be separate from the LG Electronics Tour.

    LG Electronics UK MD Jay Lim said, “The LG Electronics Tour will provide us with a more consistent level of exposure across the year and geographically across the UK. We have been delighted with the results achieved through our sponsorship of the LG Cup. Snooker has proved to be a very effective vehicle for the promotion of the LG brand and product range. The size and diversity of the snooker audience perfectly compliments LG’s brand marketing activities.”

  • ESS renews deal for English Premier League

    ESS renews deal for English Premier League

    MUMBAI: Sports broadcaster, ESPN Star Sports (ESS) has extended its multi-year agreement with the FA Premier League of England (FAPL). It will deliver the English Premier League (EPL) across Asia..

    The broadcaster also announced that it will double its coverage of the League over the next three seasons starting from August 2004. Ten matches will be shown each competition week instead of the current five. Most of them will air live.

    The remaining match will be on a quick turnaroundbasis. All matches will be supported with a line up of programming covering predictions, highlights, news and information, as well as pre and post game analysis. Under the new broadcast agreement ESS will deliver EPL programming to all but two of the markets within its 25-country footprint including India, China, Thailand, Taiwan.

    As reported a few days earlier by indiantelevoision.com the broadcaster had acquired an Asian football rights package through the Asian Football Confederation. The EPL is seen in over 150 million homes on ESS. Eight out of 10 people with cable in Asia tuning in weekly to watch the drama of the EPL. While Asias sizeable out of home audience remains unmeasured by in-home Peoplemeter measurements, research indicates that 64 per cent watch the EPL outside their homes every week. EPL matches on ESS continue to be the top programme on cable, rating 10 times better than the best programme on all other cable channels.

    ESS MD Rik Dovey said, “In the three seasons were been broadcasting the League, its audience ratings for the top LIVE matches in Singapore and other territories have trebled on our network. We look forward to further growth over the next three years. I am sure that our clients and viewers will appreciate the expanded coverage and enjoyment of the game we will bring.”

    “The EPL goes along with our newly acquired exclusive FA package of football rights, UEFA Champions League, the Asian Football packages, in some territories the Euro 2004 and Spanish Primera Liga. Our content includes NBA basketball, international cricket, the Masters, British and US Open golf majors, Australian, Wimbledon and US Open tennis grand slam tournaments, Major League Baseball, snooker and daily sports news.”