Building digital Britain
As a national digital network, Five Live Sports Extra plays two important roles:

– Attracting new audiences to digital output.

– Showcasing more of the digital offer to those who already listen.

Listeners to sister station Five Live are encouraged to sample our coverage, as we offer alternative commentaries to Five Live at busy sporting times. We also provide a place for sport coverage when Five Live is required to switch to a rolling news service to cover a major news story.

Five Live Sports Extra has a constant online presence as part of bbc.co.uk/fivelive, introducing users to other parts of the BBC’s online service, including the many interactive communities, audio on demand and live streaming services.

This year:

• Our commentaries will be streamed live whenever rights allow it.

Stimulating creativity and cultural excellence
Five Live Sports Extra offers commentaries from competitions and events in the sporting calendar which complement those on BBC Radio Five Live including:

– supplementary commentary from the FA Carling Premiership

– extended cricket commentary for Test Match Special fans

– coverage of the Coca-Cola Championship, League One and League Two, the Carling Cup and the Scottish Premier League

– additional Rugby Union and Rugby League commentaries

– the Formula One qualifying rounds

– supplementary court coverage of Wimbledon, and of the US, Australian and French Open tennis

We cultivate sport broadcasting and production talent for the industry, giving staff experience of working on high-class sports programming.

This year:

• We aim to provide more coverage of international Test matches, e.g. India v Pakistan, in an attempt to reach a new and more diverse audience for cricket in the UK.

Reflecting the UK’s nations, regions and communities
Five Live Sports Extra brings the listener sports commentaries from around the UK, bringing people from across the UK together to follow the same action – from local football derby to major national listed event.

Bringing the world to the UK and the UK to the world
When required, Five Live Sports Extra is used to provide alternative audio coverage of the big international sporting events and tournaments if there is a clash with those already on Five Live. Commentary always comes live from wherever the event is taking place, giving the listener a real sense of occasion and atmosphere.

Last year, Five Live Sports Extra supplemented Five Live by broadcasting an alternative Premiership match to the one broadcast on Five Live on most weekends during the football season, and by providing a similar service in the event of midweek matches.

The station also provided increased impact by offering uninterrupted coverage of Test cricket and Formula One qualifying rounds, and is beginning to win a reputation for its eclectic range of sports. Due to the breadth of our offer, our recurring challenge is how to bring listeners to the network as part of their routine.

In the year ahead Five Live Sports Extra will concentrate on:

• Becoming the place for uninterrupted coverage of all of England’s home cricket Test matches.

• Working in partnership with the new independent provider of Formula One motor racing coverage.

• Continuing to promote Five Live Sports Extra on Five Live and grow awareness of the range of commentaries available on the network.

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