BBC and ITV to broadcast UEFA EURO 2012
by Baron Halpenny, LincsMag Editor.
Date: 16 December 2011
UEFA announced early December (2011) the appointment of the BBC and ITV as the official broadcasters of UEFA EURO 2012 in the United Kingdom, so England fans can now set their diaries and times to know which side is showing what and when.
All 31 matches will be transmitted live across BBC and ITV. The broadcasters will further exploit all 31 matches via their respective internet and mobile platforms, showing once more the power of digital media.
A daily highlights programme will also be shown on each match day during the tournament and the BBC has the right to provide extensive coverage of the competition across its radio channels.
UEFA Events SA
Commenting on the agreement, Guy-Laurent Epstein, Marketing Director of UEFA Events SA, said: "UEFA is delighted to continue its relationship with the BBC and ITV, our traditional broadcast partners for the UEFA European Championships. We look forward to working with the UK's leading free-to-air broadcasters and are convinced that they will provide fans in the UK with an exceptional depth of coverage of the tournament across all media platforms.”
BBC and ITV
The BBC and ITV also confirmed the full split of matches between the two broadcasters across the tournament.
The broadcasters will show a total of 16 matches each including the final, which will actually be broadcast by both ITV and the BBC, giving football fans a chance to choose the least annoying commentators.
Niall Sloane, ITV Controller of Sport commented, “Major events such as the Euro 2012 Championships have huge significance for our viewers and attract some of the biggest audiences on television. I’m delighted that ITV has secured an outstanding selection of games through the tournament, which includes England’s opening game against France as well as a potential peak time group decider against hosts Ukraine.
“ITV1 will also be the home of some terrific clashes between the top teams in Europe including Spain v Ireland, Spain v Italy, Portugal v Holland and Ireland v Croatia.”
Equally, Philip Bernie, BBC Head of TV Sport also commented "The BBC is delighted to be showing the UEFA European Football Championship, a huge football event, which, along with the London Olympics, should ensure a fantastic sporting summer for BBC viewers.
"We are very happy with the live matches on BBC1, as they give us a strong climax to the event, with both semi finals, as well as England's quarter final if they progress. We also have some very appetising group games, including England's second match, against Sweden, in peak time, Ireland's final match, against Italy, and heavyweight clashes between Holland and Germany and Germany and Portugal."
Fixture list
Group games
(Fri) 8 June:
Poland v Greece - 1700 Warsaw (BBC), Russia v Czech Republic -
1945 Wroclaw (ITV)
(Sat) 9 June:
Netherlands v Denmark - 1700 Kharkiv (BBC), Germany v Portugal -
1945 Lviv (BBC)
(Sun) 10 June:
Spain v Italy - 1700 Gdansk (ITV), Republic of Ireland v Croatia -
1945 Poznan (ITV)
(Mon) 11 June:
France v England - 1700 Donetsk (ITV), Ukraine v Sweden - 1945
Kiev (BBC)
(Tue) 12 June:
Greece v Czech Republic - 1700 Wroclaw (ITV), Poland v Russia -
1945 Warsaw (ITV)
(Wed) 13 June:
Denmark v Portugal - 1700 Lviv (ITV), Netherlands v Germany -
1945 Kharkiv (BBC)
(Thur) 14 June:
Italy v Croatia - 1700 Poznan (BBC), Spain v Republic of Ireland -
1945 Gdansk (ITV)
(Fri) 15 June:
Ukraine v France - 1700 Donetsk (ITV), Sweden v England -
1945 Kiev (BBC)
(Sat) 16 June:
Greece v Russia - 1945 Warsaw (BBC), Poland v Czech Republic -
1945 Wroclaw (BBC)
(Sun) 17 June:
Portugal v Netherlands - 1945 Kharkiv (ITV), Denmark v Germany -
1945 Lviv (ITV)
(Mon) 18 June:
Croatia v Spain - 1945 Gdansk (BBC), Italy v Republic of Ireland -
1945 Poznan (BBC)
(Tue) 19 June:
Sweden v France - 1945 Kiev (ITV), England v Ukraine -
1945 Donetsk (ITV)
Knock-out stages
Quarter-finals (21, 22, 23, 24 June) - BBC has first & fourth picks, ITV has second & third
21 (Thur) Winner A v Runner B 1945 Warsaw
22 (Fri) Winner B v Runner A 1945 Gdansk
23 (Sat) Winner C v Runner D 1945 Donetsk
24 (Sun) Winner D v Runner C 1945 Kiev
Semi-finals (27 & 28 June) - BBC
27 (Wed) W25 v W27 Donetsk
28 (Thur) W26 v W28 Warsaw
Final - Kiev (Sun 1 July) - BBC & ITV
So get ready to cheer on England!
