Match of the Day set for return to the BBC

Television deal: Match of the Dayis set to return to television screens after the BBC won the right to show highlights of Premiership matches.

The impending return of some of football's most recognised names and voices, such as John Motson, Gary Lineker and Alan Hansen, has been made possible after the BBC paid £105 million for the right to show Premier League highlights in a three-year deal starting from the 2004-05 football season.

The Premier League also announced yesterday BSkyB had won the right to screen all live matches after paying £1.024 billion. The three-year deal, which also starts from the 2004-05 season, means more matches than ever will be shown live, with kick-offs taking place at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturdays, 4 p.m. on Sundays and 8 p.m. on Mondays.

Of the Premier League's 380 games, 138 will be broadcast live.

The deals may have implications for Irish television audiences, with RTÉ, TV3 and BSkyB entering a bidding war to broadcast Premiership match packages, as the deals signed by BSkyB and the BBC are confined to Britain, raising the prospect of a separate contract for the Republic.

RTÉ confirmed last night it had entered the race for the Irish television rights, and TV3 and BSkyB are also understood to have put in bids.

BBC director of sport Peter Salmon, meanwhile, said Match of the Day would probably be shown at 10.30 p.m. on Saturday, repeated on Sunday mornings and be shown in a new Sunday evening slot.

There was an outcry among football fans two years ago when the programme was taken off air after the BBC failed to secure Premier League highlights, and presenter Desmond Lynam transferred to ITV.

Guardian Service