RTE is to announce today that it has acquired the rights to show English Premiership soccer. It will start on Network 2 on Saturday, September 26th, at 10.15 p.m.
The deal with the BBC is designed to strengthen Network 2's schedule as the channel is to go head-to-head with the new service, TV3, which starts on Sunday.
TV3 is believed to have spent a record amount to secure the rights to the Republic's five away matches in the soccer European Championships to attract a [ NO]big large audience right from the start.
Both deals show the increasing importance of sport in securing audiences. In the case of TV3, the Ireland-Yugoslavia match in Belgrade next month will encourage people to tune in to the new service and be introduced to the schedule.
This evening the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, Ms de Valera, will officially open the commercial national station and tour its facilities. The service will begin on Sunday evening.
RTE's Premiership soccer deal is with the BBC and will give it access to coverage of matches. It will have its own panel offering analysis, which will be chaired by Bill O'Herlihy, with Eamon Dunphy, John Giles, Liam Brady, Joe Kinnear and Jim Beglin.