UK TV rights go to Premier Sports

Premier Sports TV has announced that it has acquired exclusive rights to live NASCAR Sprint Cup racing in the UK in 2011.

Andrew Lewin_1

29 Jan 2011

NASCAR Sprint Cup television coverage is to be provided by Premier Sports TV in 2011, in a deal giving the satellite channel exclusive rights to carry the live events.

"This is really terrific news for viewers In the UK who have been struggling to watch NASCAR racing consistently," said a Premier Sports TV spokesperson. "Our channel is fully committed to NASCAR and its long-term future in the UK.

"Racing fans will get non-stop advert free action from what we believe is the ultimate endurance and skill challenge for drivers and a truly world-class sporting event."

Previously, Sky Sports showed live NASCAR events until the start of 2010, when the rights went to the Open Access network in a last-minute deal. For 2011, Premier Sports TV promised that all 38 weeks of NASCAR competition would be provided to subscribers live and advert-free right from the opening Budweiser Shootout event at the Daytona International Speedway on February 12.

"Fans of stock car racing are some of the most passionate and loyal in the world and we hope they get behind the coverage and support the channel."

Premier Sports TV is a pay subscription channel available to Sky customers only, on Sky Channel 433, and is not available via other providers such as Virgin Media or BT. The company was formed in 2009 by Irish businessman Michael O'Rourke, part-owner of Setanta Sports Channel Ireland Limited, as a way of broadcasting events that had formerly been carried by Setanta's UK counterpart before it went out of business and which were not picked up by Sky Sports, ESPN or other UK sports channels.