Fri May 26, 2017 12:47 am
This is what the new radio broadcast deal means for Cardiff City and Newport County fans after talkSPORT has secured rights to broadcast 110 EFL games next season
By Dominic Booth
Friday 26th May 2017
The new radio rights deal taking 110 football league games to talkSPORT will have no impact on local radio commentary, the BBC has confirmed.
TalkSPORT were announced a s the exclusive rights holder for live commentary across the EFL Championship, League One and League Two next season, signing a three-year deal.
The BBC also signed a three-year contract allowing them non-exclusive rights to provide live updates from league games as well as League Cup (Carabao Cup) commentary from the 2017/18 season onwards.
But BBC Wales has confirmed local radio commentary of Cardiff City and Newport County games will not be affected by the deal, which only impacts the role of the BBC's national stations.
With only 110 games to be broadcast on talkSPORT, there were fears that commentary of Cardiff's games — normally available for every game — could be cut from local free-to-air radio.
However, a statement from BBC Wales confirmed the deal only affects national (UK-wide) radio coverage and wouldn't impinge on Radio Wales' weekly and regular coverage of Cardiff City and Newport County.
Radio Wales have the rights to broadcast Swansea City games in the Swansea area only, however if the Swans' games are chosen for nationwide coverage on BBC 5Live, it can be broadcast to the whole of Wales.