ESPN UK expands Turkish Airlines Euroleague broadcast schedule

More basketball fans than ever before in the United Kingdom will be able to enjoy the Turkish Airlines Euroleague during the 2011-12 season thanks to a new agreement between Euroleague Basketball and ESPN UK. The agreement is the latest and most expansive of a series in which ESPN UK has procured exclusive rights to broadcast Euroleague games across the United Kingdom. ESPN UK started broadcasting Euroleague games with the 2010 Final Four. Last season, its coverage expanded to include the Top 16 and the Playoffs. Now, ESPN UK will offer UK basketball fans weekly coverage of the Euroleague for the first time by showing every Game of the Week all season long, up through and including the 2012 Turkish Airlines Final Four in Istanbul next May.

"By expanding our relationship with ESPN UK, we are confident that basketball fans throughout the British Isles will get the best service possible when it comes to seeing the Turkish Airlines Euroleague," said Andrea Bassani, Euroleague Basketball's Chief of Television and New Media Rights Officer. "The ESPN brand represents the same quality that the Turkish Airline Euroleague does on the basketball court, which means the fans will be the true beneficiaries of this agreement."

ESPN started broadcasting Euroleague games in 2010 and this season will bring Euroleague fans one game each week, the ESPN Game of the Week, plus the Top 16, the Playoffs and the 2012 Turkish Airlines Final Four in Istanbul next May.

Jeroen Oerlemans, Vice-President TV Channels, ESPN EMEA, said: "The Euroleague on ESPN is set to bring basketball fans in Europe some of the biggest names in the sport this season. By bringing UK-based fans this season’s competition, we’re continuing to broaden the range of our line-up of sports from around the world."

The Turkish Airlines Euroleague forms part of ESPN’s line-up of top quality UK and international sport, including: the Barclays Premier League, the FA Cup, Aviva Premiership Rugby, Clydesdale Bank Premier League, UEFA Europa League, Serie A, Bundesliga, the NFL’s Monday Night Football, NBA, UFC, AFL, French Top 14 rugby, DTM, and much more.

The agreement reinforces Euroleague Basketball's efforts to expand the visibility of the competition in existing markets as well as new ones. ESPN UK is the TV sports choice for several million households in England, the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. ESPN UK is available within cable and satellite platforms such as Sky for DTH, Virgin for cable, BT Vision for IPTV and Top up TV for DTT.

Press release: Euroleague Basketball