Three-way fight for Reds' clash with minnows
Jason Deans, broadcasting editor Tuesday June 28, 2005
The BBC, ITV and Five are understood to be bidding for the rights to live coverage of Liverpool's David and Goliath Champions League qualifying clash next month with Welsh village side Total Network Solutions. Champions League qualifiers fall outside the TV rights deal for the main tournament, which sees matches split between ITV and Sky Sports, so broadcasters interested in the Liverpool v TNS fixture will have to buy rights to the two-leg tie separately from each club.
The three broadcasters will be most interested in bidding for the first leg, to be held at the European champion's Anfield ground on July 12 or 13, which is expected to settle the tie.
For the return leg, on July 19 or 20, Welsh champions TNS, based in the small village of Llansantffraid, near Oswestry, hope to switch the game to Wrexham as their own Treflan Stadium does not meet Uefa standards. There have also been reports that the tie could be switched to the stadium of Liverpool's Merseyside rivals Everton.
Liverpool will be expected to win the two-leg tie against TNS comfortably, but the broadcasters bidding for the TV rights will be hoping a certain curiosity value, and the euphoria generated by the team's remarkable Champions League final victory last month, will generate decent audiences for the games.
The Anfield side missed out on automatic Champions League qualification by finishing fifth in last season's Premiership - the four places for English clubs going to Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United and Everton.
But the holders were granted special dispensation by competition organiser Uefa to defend the title they won in an astonishing comeback against Milan.
Liverpool will have to play three, two-leg qualifying rounds to reach the main Champions League competition.
If they get past TNS, Liverpool will play either HB Torshavn of the Faroe Islands or FBK Kaunas of Lithuania in the second qualifying round in late July and early August.
After that, Liverpool could face Everton in the third qualifying round - a fixture that would be much more attractive to broadcasters.
The networks are believed to have been offered a package of rights to all three home legs of Liverpool's Champions League qualifiers, but to have turned this option down.
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