RTE is to show the second leg of the Republic of Ireland’s World Cup qualifying play-off against France in the Stade de France in Paris tomorrow following a breakthrough in negotiations with the French TV company which owns the rights. The match will also be broadcast on RTE Radio 1.
Speaking on Today with Pat Kenny, Glen Killane, head of sport, RTE, said they secured the TV rights after a period of deadlock had hampered a deal up to Saturday, the day when Ireland lost the first leg one-nil.
Killane said that advertising was “very important” to sports deals but it was hard to know if the deal would be self-financing and there was a public service element to consider.
Match coverage starts at 7.20pm with Bill O’Herlihy as host. He will be joined in the studio by John Giles, Eamon Dunphy and Graham Souness, who has denied media reports that he is interested in the Scotland manager’s job following the sacking of George Burley yesterday.
