Live football on BBC virtually at an end as ITV scoops FA Cup
The BBC's live football coverage was in crisis today after ITV won the rights to screen FA Cup matches.
In a massive blow, the corporation was outbid by its rival for the remaining regular live football it broadcasts. The deal also covers England's home matches.
The BBC now faces the prospect of losing big-name presenters such as Gary Lineker.
A media insider said: "People like Gary live for the big matches and are hardly likely to stay to present highlight shows."
ITV is said to be covering £275 million of the £425 million joint bid with Irish-based pay television group Setanta. The new four-year deal with the Football Association will run from August next year.
The loss of key live fixtures puts the future of Match Of The Day host Lineker and pundits Alan Hansen, Mark Lawrenson and Alan Shearer in doubt.
Lineker and Hansen both share an agent, John Holmes. He said: "They are under contract [with the BBC] for some time to come but beyond that I wouldn't like to comment."
The BBC said it could not match the massive sums bid because of the limitations of the licence fee.
A statement said: "Whenever we bid for a contract, we have to bear in mind the interests of licence-fee payers and we always have to seek value for money."
The BBC also insisted that Match Of The Day's future was safe - at least for the next three years. The statement added: "The BBC will be starting a new threeyear deal with the Premier League this autumn guaranteeing Match Of The Day until 2010, and we will be covering the World Cups in 2010 and 2014 in addition to our other landmark events such as the Olympic Games, the Six Nations and Wimbledon."
It is understood that, in a lastditch effort to persuade the FA to stick with their current partners, BBC director- general Mark Thompson and former England striker Lineker fronted a joint presentation with Sky's Richard Keys at the BBC's White City HQ earlier this week.
New ITV executive chairman Michael Grade is understood to have championed the broadcaster's sports bid as he attempts to reverse a fall in viewers and declining advertising revenue.
It is the first major blow Mr Grade has struck for ITV since he defected from the BBC's chairmanship last November.
ITV currently shares the rights to screen Champions League football with Sky but the FA Cup will dramatically strengthen its sports output.
It is also a boost for fledgling pay-TV company Setanta, which has been buying sports rights including Premiership football.
Setanta and Sky both won a £1.7 billion auction to screen Premiership games last year. The deal broke Sky's monopoly on the fixtures.
The new deal gives ITV 16 FA Cup matches per season, including the first choice game in each round plus one semi-final exclusively. ITV also secured the rights to 18 England games including all home qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012. In addition the channel will also broadcast highlights of all England home games on match days.
