Eurosport to screen BSB until 2010
Added on Tuesday, October 21st, 2008 by Carole Nash Editor
BSB riders will be seen on Eurosport for the next two years.
Eurosport have secured the television rights to the British Superbike Championship until 2010 after agreeing a new two-year deal today.
The digital broadcaster held the exclusive live rights to the championship in 2008 as part of a motorcycle racing portfolio that included MotoGP and World Superbike championship racing and has agreed to extend its relationship with BSB organisers for the next two seasons.
The new two-year deal will continue to give the BSB series extensive TV airtime, with a 4-hour live show produced at each of the 12 rounds, featuring both BSB races, the British Supersport Championship and additional support races.
In addition to live broadcasts, Eurosport will also show primetime raceday highlights through the week as well as a Thursday night magazine show, “British Superbikes Extra”, featuring the British 125 GP, National Superstock and KTM RC8 Championships.
The new deal will also continue the championship’s global exposure, with the BSB series broadcast live and exclusively across Europe on Eurosport 2 to approximately 32 million homes in 46 countries.
In addition, Eurosport Asia-Pacific will cover live the whole season across the region, reaching fans in 9 further countries, while there will be live streaming of all races on all Eurosport’s websites.
The announcement of the deal comes after it was confirmed that Eurosport will lose the rights to broadcast the MotoGP championship at the end of the current season.
Dave Kerr, Director of British Eurosport said: “This season has proved what an excellent series BSB is, with great racing and spectacle for fans to enjoy.
“We are delighted therefore to extend our relationship with MSV and retain the British Superbike Championship on Eurosport for a further two seasons. It is great news for us and for fans and we are confident the quality of racing and our coverage will go from strength to strength.”
Jonathan Palmer, MSV Chief Executive added: ‘’Television coverage is extremely important to MSV as the promoters of BSB and Eurosport has done a super job in our first year working together. It is so important for bike racing fans to know where to find BSB on television and Eurosport is the obvious place, covering so much.
“I have no doubt we will have an even more exciting year of BSB in 2009 and with Eurosport we have a hugely experienced partner which is committed to making the coverage even better and even more extensive across the world.”
