The Scottish Premier League (SPL) has renewed its broadcasting deal with Gaelic-language broadcaster BBC ALBA, reports SportsPro. The two-year agreement will see games from Scotland's top-tier Clydesdale Bank Premier League broadcast live on BBC ALBA for the first time.
This season and next the free-to-air, publicly funded channel will show three live matches and delayed full match coverage of a further 35 games per season.
The games broadcast on BBC ALBA will be matches that are not covered live by either Sky Sports or ESPN, the current co-rights holders of the SPL.
Neil Doncaster, chief executive of the SPL, said: "This new partnership will allow us to reach far and wide into new audiences and communities across Scotland. The SPL already has two live television deals in place with Sky Sports and ESPN, and we look forward to growing our relationship with BBC ALBA to promote Clydesdale Bank Premier League football, and the Gaelic language, even further over the next two seasons."
Alan Esslemont, head of content for BBC ALBA, said: "BBC ALBA is thrilled to continue our coverage of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League with the addition of three live matches to add to our delayed full-match transmissions that have been so successful since 2008."
"The channel has received great support from the SPL since our launch and we expect this new deal to strengthen our relationship with the league.
"The Clydesdale Bank Premier League continues to be hugely popular with fans across the country and we are delighted to be able to return live Clydesdale Bank Premier League football to free-to-air television throughout Scotland and the UK for the first time since 2004."
