The World Bowls Tour and the BBC are delighted to announce that a new three year agreement has been signed, securing live and exclusive television coverage of indoor bowls until 2005.

This new contract guarantees coverage of the World Championship and the International Open, the two leading tournaments of the indoor calendar.

Indoor bowls has undergone a revamp this season, which has been positively embraced and welcomed by the BBC. The new look game promises to attract new audiences and the BBC look forward to playing a crucial role in that.

Chief Executive of the World Bowls Tour, Nigel Oldfield said, ‘we are very pleased to have signed a new contract with the BBC, especially as so many people who love the game have put such a huge amount of time and effort into making the changes work.

‘We now have a new style game for TV that has helped us revitalise the sport and increased its appeal. These were the key objectives of the WBT at the beginning of the season and I am delighted to say we have achieved them. It’s a great way to end the World Championship and gives us a firm foundation to go on and do bigger and better things next season’.

BBC’s Head of General Sport, Barbara Slater added: ‘Bowls enjoys a dedicated and passionate following and we are delighted to continue to support the sport by televising live coverage of it’s two premier tournaments. Bowls complements BBC Sports diverse portfolio which offers something for all sports fans’.

The 2002 Potters Holidays World Championship final, presented by Mary Rhodes, can be seen exclusively on BBC TWO, Sunday 20 January at 3pm.

For more information please contact:

Sally Trim
BBC SPORT
T: 020 8225 9900
E: sport.publicity@bbc.co.uk