Absolute Radio, the BBC and talkSPORT have all retained their rights to live Premier League match coverage for the next seasons till 2016.
For talkSPORT, the deal means live matches on Saturday late and Sunday lunchtime matches.
talkSPORT Chief Executive, Scott Taunton, said: “We’re really pleased to have secured these two Barclays Premier League packages, as it puts us in a firm position to build on our past success and drive the business forward.
The three season deal for Absolute Radio sees the station continue to hold their rights to broadcast thirty-two commentaries per season at 3pm every Saturday (second pick). Live commentary is sandwiched between pre-match build up at 1.30pm and post-match analysis at 5pm.
Absolute Radio’s CEO Donnach O’Driscoll said “Our live and exclusive Barclays Premier League commentary strategy has helped Absolute Radio to raise awareness, grow audiences and has driven strong revenue thanks to our three year long partnership with Sky Sports. Rock N Roll Football offers a credible football commentary alternative, is unique within the marketplace and provides a gateway for new listeners to discover our brand. We bid for the package of rights that we wanted and are very pleased to have retained them.”
The BBC has retained its four current packages, including Saturday lunchtime, the first pick of Saturday afternoon’s 3pm kick-offs, Sunday late afternoon games and Monday evening fixtures.
The Premier League’s director of Sales and Marketing, Richard Masters, said: “We are extremely pleased that the BBC, Talksport and Absolute Radio have all again chosen to invest in the Barclays Premier League. We look forward to continuing to work with them as they showcase the League to fans across the country.”