ITV gets 1st choice of Champions League soccer games

LONDON, March 25 (Reuters) - British broadcaster ITV has won the rights for first choice of live Champions League soccer matches on a Wednesday night, UEFA said in a statement on its Website.

Under the package of rights covering the 2009 to 2012 period, ITV will also be entitled to show live coverage of the Champions League Final and the UEFA Super Cup, the European governing body of soccer said.

"UEFA is very pleased to renew its long-standing relationship with ITV in the United Kingdom," UEFA General Secretary David Taylor said in the statement.

"They have been a valued partner of UEFA since the inception of the UEFA Champions League in 1992 and their offer for the next cycle of media rights demonstrates their commitment to continue this strong relationship," he added.

Wednesday matches are currently shown by BSkyB, which last week won exclusive rights to show all the Tuesday live games and highlights as well as all games on Wednesday except for the first choice fixture.

Last week, the BBC retained the British television rights to Formula One motor racing from ITV in a five-year deal starting in 2009. (Reporting by Mike Elliott; Editing by David Holmes)