Champions League Rights Sold: A New Era For Football Fans
Get ready, football fans! The UEFA Champions League is set to embark on a new chapter, and it’s bigger and better than ever. The news? Two new broadcasters have joined the fray, alongside TNT Sports, to bring the world’s most elite club competition to our screens. Say hello to Amazon Prime Video and BBC, the newest additions to the Champions League broadcasting family!
But first, a little history lesson. For the past seven years, TNT Sports (formerly BT Sport) had held the exclusive rights to show Champions League matches in the UK. And what a glorious seven years it has been! However, their monopoly on the competition comes to an end this season as two new entrants have swooped in to claim their share of the spotlight.
Amazon Prime Video, the entertainment giant, has bagged 17 first-pick Champions League matches to broadcast on Tuesday nights. This will be their first foray into Champions League coverage, and we can’t wait to see how they’ll bring the magic to the masses.
But what about the terrestrial viewers, you ask? Fear not, friends! BBC is set to shake things up by airing highlights of the competition with a special Wednesday edition of Match of the Day. Yes, you heard that right – the BBC is back in the Champions League fold after a 28-year hiatus! It’s been since the 1994 final between AC Milan and Barcelona that we last saw the Red Circle’s signature graphics adorning our TV screens.
The changes don’t stop there. From the 2024 season onwards, the Champions League will feature a staggering 36 teams, an increase of four from the current 32. And say goodbye to the traditional group stage in its current format – the single table league system is here to stay!
As we dive headfirst into this new era, the group stage will give way to a revamped play-off system. Clubs finishing between 9th and 24th will face off in a dramatic knockout phase, while the top eight sides will cruise directly into the round of 16. It’s set to be an adrenaline-fueled ride, if you ask us!
And in the meantime, tune in this Wednesday as Real Madrid takes on Europa League winners Atalanta in the UEFA Super Cup final in Warsaw, Poland.
That’s all for now, folks! We can’t wait to see what this new chapter holds for the Champions League and the footballing world at large. Make sure to follow us on all social media platforms for more updates, analysis, and all things football!