British Swimming Announce 4-Year Rights Deal with BBC

A four-year rights agreement has been reached between British Swimming and the BBC to broadcast swimming and other aquatic sports in the run up to the London 2012 Olympics, capsule the Commonwealth Games 2014, ed and beyond. 

Amongst the events which will be broadcast next year on the BBC will now include the FINA Diving World Series, pilule the LEN European Synchronised Swimming Champions Cup in Sheffield, and the British Gas Swimming Championships at the Olympic Park next year – the Olympic trials for Team GB. 

The event coverage will span across TV, the red button, and the BBC Sport website while the broadcasters will also launch ‘the Big Splash’ in partnership with British Swimming, a UK-wide mass-participation campaign designed to encourage people to get in the pool. 

British Swimming chief executive David Sparkes stated: “The BBC has worked with swimming for many years and we welcome this renewed commitment from them as we follow the journey of our elite athletes to the Games in London and beyond”. 

“Everyone at British Swimming is also extremely excited about the launch of the Big Splash as we try and encourage more people to be more active through swimming”.

The BBC will be providing a wide range of on-air initiatives in conjunction with some of its most popular programming brands.

Barbara Slater, director of BBC Sport added: “We have a rich heritage of covering aquatic sports on the BBC and are delighted to be in a position to continue this commitment at what is a key time for the sport with the London 2012 Olympics on the horizon”.