BBC signs new football deal

The BBC will show live coverage of Carling Cup and Championship matches from mid-August 2009.

The broadcaster has won the right to show matches for consecutive seasons from 2009 to 2012, which will be available to view on television and online.

It will be the first time that the BBC has shown live coverage of Championship matches.

In its agreement with Sky, the BBC will have exclusive rights to show two of the four legs of the Carling Cup semi-finals and 10 Championship league games. It will also show the Carling Cup final jointly with Sky.

In addition, the BBC Sport website will also show goals from all Football League clubs.

Sky Sports will show the remainder of the games, including live matches from rounds one to five of the Carling Cup and the two legs of the Carling Cup semi-finals.

Roger Mosey, director of BBC Sport, said: "We are genuinely excited about the potential of the Football League properties on the BBC.

"Our aim in the three seasons of our agreement is a simple one: to showcase the new acquisitions across all our platforms, and to make our commitment to football deeper and stronger at every level."

When contacted by Computeractive, ITV said it had not bid for the rights to air the Carling cup deal because of it’s “already busy football portfolio”.

A representative for the station said: “We have already acquired the rights to air the FA cup and we will be showing Carling cup highlights.”