Sky Wins UEFA CL TV rights

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UK pay-TV operator Sky Sports has agreed a new three-year deal for the UEFA Champions League. It will deliver 103 live matches a year, or up to 14 live matches a week, from 2006 to 2009. Under the new deal it will have live coverage of all Wednesday matches, with up to eight simultaneous games at the Group stage. It also has live coverage of all Tuesday matches, other than the two on commercial free-to-air broadcaster ITV, with up to six simultaneous Group stage matches.

Sky will also provide each of these games streamed live, simultaneously, on Sky Sports Broadband for the first time. Vic Wakeling, Managing Director of Sky Sports, said: "The digital technology we have developed is unique, and has worked superbly. Our subscribers have told us how much they appreciate the power of choice, and the ability to switch between eight live matches at any time."

On a Champions League night Sky digital viewers can pick their live game, or switch between games, through Sky Sports Active. Sky digital viewers simply push a button on their remote to see a list of live matches on offer then see a match full-screen. Sky still has one more season to run on its current deal.

Both ITV and Sky will also provide each of these games streamed live, simultaneously, on Sky Sports Broadband and on an ITV broadband channel for the first time.