ClickAJob News

The BBC has secured the right to broadcast Coca-Cola Championship and Carling Cup football matches for the first time.

News that the public service broadcaster will be allowed to screen live Football League games from 2009 comes after the league struck a joint deal with the BBC and Sky over the coverage of matches.

The three-year deal, worth £264 million, will see the BBC exclusively screen ten live matches from the Coca-Cola Championship each year, while the two legs of the Carling Cup semi-finals and the competition's final will also be broadcast by the terrestrial TV station.

In addition the BBC will broadcast highlights programmes from both the league and the cup.

Meanwhile Sky will continue its coverage of the Championship, Carling Cup and Johnstone's Paint Trophy competitions, with its new broadcast rights including an entitlement to screen 65 live and exclusive matches from the Football League.

Reports suggest the deal will help fill the gap in the BBC's sports schedules caused by the loss of screening rights to England's international home games and FA Cup matches, which were awarded to Setanta and ITV.

Commenting on the agreement the director of BBC Sport, Roger Mosey, said: "We're delighted to be entering a partnership with the Football League.

"This adds to our football portfolio of Match of the Day, Euro 2008 and the World Cups of 2010 and 2014."

Football League chairman Lord Mawhinney added: "We are delighted to be continuing our strong partnership with Sky Sports and are excited by the prospect of working closely with the BBC."