Premiership matches could be screened live on terrestrial Irish television from the start of the 2004/05 season, it emerged this afternoon.
Announcing the details of a new stg£1.024 billion deal with BSkyB for the UK rights to screen live games over three years, Premier League chairman Richard Scudamore revealed he had yet to complete a deal with broadcasters for the "Eire" package.
Previously, rights packages were sold jointly as UK and Eire. The new Ireland package will include the rights to screen live Premiership matches.
BSkyB has been awarded the right to screen live Premiership games in the UK between 2004-05 and 2006-07.
It was also announced that the BBC have paid £105million for the UK free-to-air highlights package, meaning Match of the Dayshould return to BBC1.
Speaking at a press conference this afternoon, Scudamore announced: "BSkyB has won each of the four live (UK) packages individually.
"The BBC has won the free-to-air highlights package as they made the best bid in that category.
"We still have to conclude arrangements for our 12 remaining audio-visual packages for the UK and Eire, including those for new media, as well as our audio rights and overseas rights."
