Gareth Bale joins TNT Sports for Premier League and Champions League
Bale will join TNT's lineup of Peter Crouch and Joe Cole in their live coverage of the Premier League on Saturday lunchtimes, with Owen Hargreaves, Steve McManaman, Ally McCoist and Karen Carney also among their pundits.
Bale is understood to have impressed TNT executives with his analysis of Tottenham's Europa League final triumph over Manchester United in Bilbao in May. The 36-year-old had previously been used in their coverage of Liverpool's Champions League group game against Real Madrid.
Bale is a high-profile replacement for Rio Ferdinand, who opted not to sign a new contract at the end of last season after 12 years at TNT, which until last year was known as BT Sport. Ferdinand left to pursue other business interests and to spend more time with his family.
TNT has exclusive rights to 52 Premier League matches this season, 32 of them 12.30pm Saturday kick-offs and two complete midweek rounds. The midweek fixtures will be spread from Tuesday to Thursday, with kick-off times of 7.30pm and 8.15pm in an attempt to increase viewing figures.
In the first year of a new four-year rights cycle, more Premier League games will be broadcast live than ever before this season, with Sky Sports showing 215 matches live, starting with Liverpool's trip to Bournemouth next Friday evening. All games that do not kick off at 3pm on Saturdays will be available live, either on Sky or TNT.
In addition, TNT has exclusive rights to every Champions League, Europa League and Conference League fixture other than one Tuesday night Champions League game, which will be streamed by Amazon Prime.
TNT also starts a new four-year deal for the FA Cup this season, with the contract including Sunday's Community Shield between Liverpool and Crystal Palace at Wembley. While TNT bought exclusive rights for the competition, the BBC will show 14 games, including two quarter-finals, one semi-final and the final.
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TNT declined to comment, but the broadcaster is expected to confirm its punditry lineup for the season at the start of next week.
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