Sunset+Vine awarded three-year BBC Alba production deal

The GU defence look worried as the ball breaks to Gavin.

Sunset+Vine has been awarded a three-year deal to produce BBC Alba’s sports coverage following a competitive commissioning process. The deal will see the UK-based production company deliver coverage of at least 176 hours of live and as-live sporting events in the coming year, including football, shinty and rugby.

The sports indie will produce a minimum of 26 live SWPL (Scottish Women’s Premier League) games each season, a deal which BBC Alba has the rights to until the end of the 2024/25 season.  

The producer will also cover shinty – a team sport played with sticks and a ball played mainly in the Scottish Highlands (pictured, right) – including the Camanachd Cup Semi-Finals, the MacAulay Cup Final, the Valerie Fraser Cup Final and the historic Camanachd Cup Final.

The coverage also includes the launch of BBC Alba’s new sports branding which adopts the bold and iconic yellow branding used across other sports in the BBC portfolio, making BBC Alba’s sports brand instantly recognisable to audiences.  

Margaret Cameron, director of content at MG Alba said: “Sport continues to be a major draw for BBC Alba audiences and we’re committed to building on our reputation of delivering high-quality, high-impact sporting moments.  

“This three-year contract is of strategic importance to MG Alba and BBC Alba. We look forward to working with Sunset+Vine to build on BBC Alba’s reputation as a provider of high-quality sports coverage and our commitment to, in particular, Scottish women’s sport.” 

Head of Sunset+Vine Scotland Grant Philips added: “At Sunset +Vine, we specialise in live sports coverage in Scotland, the UK and around the world.

“We are delighted to be working with MG Alba and BBC Alba to bring a brand new and fresh approach to their sports output. We will deliver the highest production standards over the next three seasons for BBC Alba’s viewers.  Suas le Spòrs Alba!”

SWPL coverage is available via BBC Alba and BBC iPlayer.