The FA Cup to be shared by the BBC and ITV

The Times are reporting that from the 2021-22 season, The FA Cup will exclusively be on the BBC and ITV, with ITV having more games overall.

Looks like this’ll be the first time in over 30 years that the Cup will be shared.

The Times are reporting that ITV will be taking coverage of the FA Cup from 2021-22 season from BT Sport meaning that all games shown live will be on free-to-air TV. (Paywall article)

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/fa-cup-set-to-be-aired-exclusively-on-free-to-air-tv-after-itv-deal-3css5zlnb?wgu=270525_54264_15578537551012_b0d7eeb90a&wgexpiry=1565629755&utm_source=planit&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_content=22278

Big News.
Does that mean a final simulcast?

I don’t find it too surprising as ITV must be desperate for Live Football and the pay TV part of the deal doesn’t seem to bring in too much for ITV.

I guess we might see a simulcast of the final but ITV may decide it’s not worth them showing it. I think agree to alternate who shows the final with the BBC might be more appealing to ITV.

Oh my god. That is huge news about the FA Cup going FTA in the UK. I didn't expect it to happen at all probably like many others here. That will give a boost to the tournaments audience figures in a huge way for fans in the UK. It will give a huge boost to people who will watch all of the matches on exclusive FTA platforms like Freeview & Freesat in future. Although I assume the reasons as to why this happened was that the audience figures (or the number of subscribers paying money to watch the matches so to speak) from BT Sport had dropped like a stone in recent years. Those people affected are now probably questioning the value of having to pay for a rather expensive sports subscription in the UK & Ireland when big tournaments like this one go back to FTA television in a few years time.

I'm not hugely surprised - I'm sure there was talk of it a few years ago when Setanta collapsed and ITV had a season of exclusive rights. Football has long been shared by the BBC and ITV when it comes to the major championships and the Six Nations deal has been pretty successful for both sides, whilst unlike that this deal doesn't see the BBC lose anything.

Regarding the final - I agree alternating coverage would be better for ITV as they'll get thrashed in a simulcast, but also possible if the BBC struck their deal first they might have exclusive FTA rights to the final anyway.

It is good news for the FA Cup and free to air football (absolutely ridiculous there will not even be free to air highlights of an all-English Champions League final). I think we've all been waiting for the bubble to burst when it comes to pay-TV football and although it isn't quite there I think it's clear the last Premier League deal especially squeezed out non-core products certainly for Sky and BT are being a bit more cautious too.

Well according to this article here from Chronicle Live. Both the BBC & ITV will be able to simulcast the FA Cup Final when the deal is signed in a few weeks time. ITV will have the biggest share of the matches having 30 matches which makes them a senior partner under the terms of the new deal. BBC will still have the remaining 18 matches along with online & linear highlights.

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fa-cup-set-aired-exclusively-16276046

No doubt itv wil now make a snatch for Gary Lineker.

Well I wouldn’t agree that ITV are the senior partner if they same have package as BT Sport had. Yes they might have more games but the BBC has the most lucrative ties from each round.

I don’t think they will. I think ITV have come to the conclusion it doesn’t matter who presents their football in terms of ratings. Lineker clearly likes being at the BBC and he has the biggest football programme on TV. ITV won’t have a week in week out use for him. And Lineker has it pretty good at the moment being able to work for BT Sport on the Champions League too.

Ed Chamberlan perhaps to help out?

So it'll be 3-4 games and 1-2 replays most rounds. Unlikely to be more than 2 games they'll broadcast a day so two hosts should suffice.