Digital TV News

Yahoo! scores Premier League highlights deal

Thursday 29 April, 2010

By Becca Talbot - becca@consumerchoices.co.uk

Search engine Yahoo! has won the rights to show five-minute online highlights of every Premier League match for the next three seasons.

When the new football season kicks off in August, fans will be able to watch online highlights of every Barclays Premier League game on Yahoo.co.uk.

Highlights will be available from midnight on Sunday after weekend matches and at midnight the same day for midweek fixtures.

Rich Riley, Yahoo!’s European managing director, said: “The acquisition of Premier League rights shows how serious Yahoo! is about providing the best in video content for both our users and advertisers.”

Cable TV giant Virgin Media currently owns the highlights rights, but its deal will run out when the new 2010-11 season begins on Saturday 14 August. It is believed that Virgin Media did re-bid for the rights, but Yahoo! pipped it to the post.

“The way fans access Barclays Premier League action is growing ever more diverse and sophisticated,” said Richard Scudamore, chief executive of the Premier League.

“The online highlights package is an important medium for supporters of all our clubs to be able to follow match action.”