TV3 HAS won exclusive rights to show UEFA Champions League matches on Tuesday nights for three years from September 2009 onwards.
TV3 has won the rights from RTÉ and will show 16 Champions League games each season under the deal. It will also be able to show deferred coverage of other matches but will not have access to the final.
It is not clear how much TV3 paid for the rights but industry sources suggested it could about €3 million a year.
RTÉ is expected to retain live terrestrial rights for games played on Wednesday nights. It currently holds the rights for both nights.
Dublin-based Setanta Sports is also expected to retain its live rights for Ireland.
Setanta currently has the second and third pick of live games, which it shows on cable and satellite on Tuesday and Wednesday nights on Setanta Sports Ireland.
This is a major coup for TV3. Champions League games attract large audiences and should bolster TV3's advertising revenues.
Just under one million viewers tuned into last month's Champions League final between Manchester United and Chelsea.
TV3 has put a big emphasis on winning live sports rights since its takeover by private equity group Doughty Hanson.
It recently won the right to broadcast All-Ireland football and hurling games for the first time. The Ballymount-based TV station will show 10 live games per season for the next three years.
TV3 also had live rights to last year's Rugby World Cup in France.
Commenting on the deal, Pat Kiely, TV3's commercial director, said: "This is a major coup for us considering that we were up against the incumbent [RTÉ] and Tuesday night is a great night for us given our schedule."
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