TORONTO – Bell Globemedia sports networks TSN and RDS will carry Euro 2008 across all platforms in Canada in 2008.
The English and French language channels announced Monday a broadcast and multimedia agreement for the UEFA European Football Championship 2008 – taking place June 7 to 29, 2008 in Austria and Switzerland.
Financial terms of the contract were not disclosed.
The deal provides TSN and RDS with exclusive Canadian broadcast rights in English and French, as well as new media rights including broadband, video on mobile devices, video-on-demand and interactive TV.
Under the deal, TSN and RDS will provide multi-platform coverage of all 31 matches of the quadrennial tournament, which features the best 16 European national soccer teams, including the final on June 29. Additional coverage includes a highlights show on match day, Euro 2008 Final Draw, magazine programs, and unlimited encores across both networks and media platforms. TSN will also televise pre-game and post-game shows.
"The magnitude of this deal emphasizes TSN’s commitment to soccer and is beneficial to viewers on many levels. With TSN’s emerging multimedia platforms, we are able to reach viewers and provide them with blanket coverage and access to matches wherever, whenever suits their needs," said Phil King, president, TSN, in a press release.
"As we saw earlier this summer (during the World Cup), soccer’s popularity in Canada continues to thrive, and it will continue to do so with first-class tournaments like Euro."
"Our ability to provide complete coverage of Euro 2008 across more media platforms than ever before will serve to enhance our tradition of delivering high profile international soccer to our ever-growing fan base," added Gerry Frappier, president of Le Réseau des sports.
TSN has televised the past five Euro tournaments, dating back to the 1988 tourney in Germany, while RDS has televised exclusive French coverage since Euro 1996. Coverage of the Euro 2004 final on CTV, TSN and RDS set record ratings with a combined English and French national audience of 1.55 million viewers, says the release.
