Endemol brings in Lineker for Dutch soccer show

Endemol has inked a deal to produce content for the digital channel of the top Dutch soccer league Eredivisie and has recruited UK presenter and ex-footballer Gary Lineker as one of its hosts.

Lineker, who played for Barcelona and England, will be joined by other local hosts and reporters. The Eredivisie Live channel will be carried on cable, IPTV services and online throughout the Netherlands.

The channel will carry live games and highlights. Endemol will provide all of the wraparound content including football formats, talk shows and magazine programmes.

The launch of a channel with full live games and highlights has been made possible because the Dutch clubs banded together and decided not to sell TV rights to one party, said Alex Tielbeke, managing director of the ECV, the media and marketing organisation that represents the 18 Dutch Eredivisie clubs.