Yahoo! score soccer highlight rights

Yahoo! has secured a three year deal with the Barclays Premier League providing them with online distribution rights to football highlights for the next three seasons.

The deal, which comes into affect from the start of the 2010/2011 season, will allow the internet based company to broadcast a five minute highlights package of every match on yahoo.co.uk. They will also have the right to syndicate online highlights content to third parties.

Rich Riley, Managing Director of Yahoo! Europe, said: "The acquisition of Premier League rights shows how serious Yahoo! is about providing the best in video content for our both our users and advertisers."

Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore added: "The way fans access Barclays Premier League action is growing ever more diverse and sophisticated. The online highlights package is an important medium for supporters of all our clubs to be able to follow match action."

Yahoo! outbid current rights holders Virgin Media in a multimillion dollar deal. The US based firm have recently struck up similar deals with The National Basketball Association and The National Hockey League.