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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| BBC lose NI home games to Sky TV | BBC lose NI home games to Sky TV |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Sky television has secured the rights to broadcast live Northern Ireland home football internationals from next year. | Sky television has secured the rights to broadcast live Northern Ireland home football internationals from next year. |
| BBC Northern Ireland, the current rights holders, had been in negotiations with the IFA. | BBC Northern Ireland, the current rights holders, had been in negotiations with the IFA. |
| The corporation had been due to hold talks with the IFA next week and BBC NI Sport executive producer Shane Glynn said he was "shocked" by the news. | |
| However, it is understood a multi-million pound deal has been agreed with Sky. | However, it is understood a multi-million pound deal has been agreed with Sky. |
| Northern Ireland supporters' spokesman Gary McAllister said that the new deal would "squeeze out" a lot of people who are unable to attend home matches. | Northern Ireland supporters' spokesman Gary McAllister said that the new deal would "squeeze out" a lot of people who are unable to attend home matches. |
| "It will leave a lot of people disenfranchised," added Mr McAllister. | "It will leave a lot of people disenfranchised," added Mr McAllister. |
| "Older people who just cannot get to international matches because they cannot travel the distance or maybe because they cannot get to matches at night because of the cold weather. | "Older people who just cannot get to international matches because they cannot travel the distance or maybe because they cannot get to matches at night because of the cold weather. |
| "These people are armchair fans and they support the team just as fervantly as those who get to Windsor Park." | "These people are armchair fans and they support the team just as fervantly as those who get to Windsor Park." |
| Mr McAllister added that "both BBC and before that Ulster Television stood by Northern Ireland football through the lean years". | |
| "In the late 1980s and during the 1990s when the team wasn't doing so well, our local broadcasters gave pretty good coverage to the team. | |
| "We also have to look over what sort of commitment Sky will make in the long-term." | |
| There have been suggestions that the new Sky deal may also include coverage of Irish League football although this has yet to be confirmed. |