FA Cup set to be broadcast exclusively on FTA TV
From today's Times
The FA Cup is set to be broadcast exclusively on free-to-air television for an extended period for the first time since the late 1980s, with ITV close to joining the BBC as rights holders.
ITV is close to an agreement with the FA over a four-year package from the start of the 2021-22 season.
In March the BBC won the rights to broadcast up to 18 live FA Cup matches a season, in addition to TV and online highlights, with ITV set to gain a larger package of up to 30 games as the senior partner. Under the terms of the new deal, it will share coverage of the FA Cup for the first time since 1988.
While the contract has yet to be signed it is believed that it contains provision for the BBC and ITV to share live coverage of the final, as they did from 1955 until 1988. The package for which ITV is understood to have bid successfully is held by BT Sport, which has shared the rights with the BBC since 2014. An announcement of the deal is expected in the next few weeks.
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