Sky Sports will continue to screen Premier League matches in the Republic of Ireland until 2016 after the broadcaster successfully acquired the exclusive rights from next season.
The deal will see Sky screen 116 live matches each for the 2013-14 and 2015-16 seasons starting in August this year, mirroring its arrangement in the UK.
Sky has recently signed a series of rights acquisitions and renewals, including the Football League, Lions Tour, European Tour and Ryder Cup golf
Barney Francis, managing director of Sky Sports, said: “These rights mean that Sky Sports remains the home of the Barclays Premier League in Ireland. With more live matches than ever before, our Irish viewers can enjoy an unrivalled choice of the biggest and best games across Saturday evenings, Sunday afternoons and Monday nights.”
JD Buckley, managing director, Sky Ireland said: “This is a great result for our Irish customers. Following the recent launch of Ireland’s best value triple play service, today’s announcement confirms our commitment to providing customers with the best content, technology and value.”