Music: {allcanada} Sportsnet signs Premiership extension

Monday, October 29, 2012

{allcanada} Sportsnet signs Premiership extension

Sportsnet announced on Monday it has reached a three-year extension with the Barclays Premier League through the 2015-16 season.

The multi-platform agreement, which begins for the 2013-14 season, includes television, online and mobile rights to 190 Premiership matches per year through to 2016.

English Premier League soccer has appeared on the network since its inception in 1998, with Gerry Dobson serving as the network's lead soccer broadcaster, often working beside former Canadian national team goalkeeper Craig Forrest.

"I remember clearly that the Premiership was a big part of Sportsnet from the beginning," Dobson told sportsnet.ca.

"Two days after our network launched in October of 1998, I was in the studio hosting our first ever Premier League game. We're now in our 15th season. We've gone from a single, solitary game a week to several with Soccer Central Matchday as your source for everything about the EPL. It's been a fantastic ride that will only get better."

Sportsnet already has broadcast rights to a number of soccer properties, including the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, World Cup Qualifying, Canadian men's and women's team matches, and Major League Soccer.

As part of the agreement, Bell Media will also have rights to 190 matches per season for the length of the deal.