WHY ARE THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GAMES NOT ON AMAZON PRIME VIDEO AND BBC THIS SEASON?
THE Champions League is back, but if you were expecting to catch games on Amazon Prime Video and free-to-air highlights on the BBC you’ll be disappointed.
Yes, you are right in thinking that Prime Video won the rights to show some live Champions League games while the BBC secured a highlights agreement as part of a new UK TV deal confirmed by UEFA earlier in the summer.
BUT the new deal won’t kick in from until the 2024-25 season, so this campaign and next year’s will see Champions and Europa League live matches and highlights all on BT Sport under the same arrangements as last season’s.
Even from then BT Sport has retained the bulk of Champions League live rights with Amazon showing the first pick Tuesday night game from each round of fixtures – 17 games in all when the new expanded format for the competition kicks in from 2024-25.
The BBC will screen a Wednesday night highlights programme through the deal and will also have highlights of the final.
Apart from the Amazon Tuesday night first pick game, BT has bagged all other matches as well as the Europa and Europa Conference League competitions under the new rights.
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UEFA EUROPEAN COMPETITION RIGHTS 2022-23 & 2023-24 SEASINS
EVERY Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League game will continue to be available LIVE only on BT Sport.
BT Sport also has the highlights rights and shows dedicated highlights shows on its subscription channel. However, it makes mini highlights packages of matches available free-to-air via its website, app and YouTube channel soon after games have finished.
BT is expected to continue to make the finals of all three tournaments available free-to-air as well.
UEFA EUROPEAN COMPETITION RIGHTS 2024-25 to 2026-27 SEASONS
BT SPORT
– 553 OF THE 550 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE, EUROPA LEAGUE AND EUROPA CONFERENCE LEAGUE GAMES EXCLUSIVELY LIVE EACH SEASON (EUROPA COMPETITIONS ONLY ON BT SPORT WITH EVERY SINGLE GAME AVAILABLE LIVE.)
BT SPORT HAS CONFIRMED IT WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE ALL THREE FINALS FREE-TO-AIR ON SOME PLATFORMS.
AMAZON PRIME VIDEO
– 17 ‘FIRST PICK’ TUESDAY NIGHT CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GAMES EACH SEASON
BBC SPORT
– WEDNESDAY NIGHT CHAMPIONS LEAGE HIGHLIGHTS AND FINAL HIGHLIGHTS AS WELL