The battle between ITV and the BBC is very much in full swing as we wrap up the group stage at Euro 2024 – but how do they decide which matches are broadcast on a day-by-day basis?
It's a process that goes back to a coin toss in 2011, which determined that the BBC would have first pick over ITV for Euro 2012 in the 'you-pick, we-pick system' that still happens today.
They have, of course, alternated in this selection process ever since that day in Ukraine, with both broadcasters splitting the rights to each tournament equally until a shared final.
Following the final tournament draw in December, both ITV and the BBC sat down to run through the pecking order and on this occasion, ITV were handed first pick.
Advert
ITV moved quickly to secure first choice of the semi-finals, while the BBC responded by getting the quarters.
Speaking on the The Rest Is Entertainment podcast, journalist Marina Hyde explained the process.
"ITV and the BBC share out games at the Euros," she began. "They take it in turns to pick matches but this time round, it was ITV's turn to pick first.
"You can choose anything right from the start, it's like a draft, but they thought 'Okay we'll do semi-final pick one' because they thought England will do well in this tournament. So, when the semi-final games are finally decided, ITV will get to choose first... hopefully with England in it."
You can watch the fascinating breakdown from Hyde below.
According to the Daily Mail, ITV then secured first choice on the round of 16 before the BBC fired back with taking England's opener in Group C opener against Serbia on June 16 – a game that attracted a peak audience of 15 million people.
ITV then swooped to take England's final group stage game against Slovenia on June 25, with the BBC taking the second game of Group C – the 1-1 draw against Denmark that was watched by a peak audience of 13.1 million people.
Then an interesting move in the chess battle played out. ITV had the chance to claim the other semi-final but instead, they secured the Euro 2024 opener between Germany and Scotland – a genius move on their part after it attracted 10.4 million viewers.
ITV, meanwhile, will have the first three picks plus the fifth and seventh picks in the Round of 16 games, while the BBC will have the first and third picks for the quarter-finals.
The amicable 'you-pick, we-pick' process continued until Slovakia vs Ukraine was picked last by the BBC.
Jack Kenmare