GRIMSBY Town could have a potential audience of 6.5-million viewers next season after the Football Conference struck a six-figure television deal with telecoms giant BT.
According to the Non League Paper, an agreement has been reached on a £300,000 deal that will see top-flight non-league games broadcast live on the telecom giant's fledging satellite channel; BT Sport, from next season.
The deal is said to cover 25-30 matches in its first season, with the potential for additional games to be screened from 2014/15.
Games will also be live streamed online on the station's website.
BT has already netted the rights to screen top Premier League games on the channel – which will be free to its broadband subscribers.
The landmark deal ends the Conference's three-year association with Premier Sports – who had paid £5,000 to home clubs and £1,000 to visiting teams for every live broadcast.
And Conference chairman Brian Lee told the Non-League Paper that the move will see the league's possible audience grow from 6,500 to 'much nearer' 6.5million
"It's great news. We've got an agreement in place for next season and it's the news the league wanted.
"We have had a good relationship with Premier Sports. They have given the league fantastic coverage, but we've got to look at this from a business point of view.
"The Football Conference will sit alongside the Premier League and the Bundesliga – and that to me is a big thing.
"We'll be getting high-level exposure – BT have gone into this in a big way. It's exciting.
"We will be going from a possible audience of 6,500 to one much nearer 6.5 million. That's the reality of the situation.
"It will allow us further opportunities in the future, which we are excited about.
"There could be more games to come the season after and if it's a success, there is a chance for an improved agreement down the line."
With the league in need of a new title sponsor, following the closure of long-term partner Blue Square Bet, Lee added that the hoped the BT deal would help in the search for a new partner.
"It can't do any harm, that's for sure," he said.
"Hopefully a potential new partner will see this as a fantastic time to be involved with a wonderful competition.
"Blue Square were fantastic to work with. It's such a shame they were unable to continue after six years but we're talking to a few interested companies, so we'll see what that brings.
"There's no timeframe, but we hope to have something in place for the start of the new season."
