Liverpool, Arsenal to launch TV channels

Liverpool and Arsenal are to launch subscription TV channels in partnership with Granada TV.

The stations are expected to be up and running before the start of the next season, available at a cost of around £6 per month.

Max Graesser, new CEO of Granada Sport, said that MUTV, which it runs along with Manchester United, had experienced better subscription levels this year following the decision to allow club channels to broadcast delayed coverage of all home and away matches.

"The addition of delayed match coverage has obviously made a huge difference," said Graesser told the Media Guardian. ince its inception, MUTV has had a pretty solid subscriber base but, as expected, it has done particularly well this season."

The channels are expected to be available on Sky Digital from launch, and possibly some digital cable areas, pending successful negotiations with operators. Graesser added that they were "looking at the possibilities" of distributing the new channels abroad, as they currently do with MUTV.