BBC Offer Extension to Cup Sponsorship

BBC Wales have offered a new season-long deal to sponsor the FAW Premier Cup with the offer of a £100,000 prize for the winners will almost certainly convince the 11 Welsh Premier sides to accept the deal.

As always they will be joined by non-league 'exiles' Merthyr Tydfil and Newport County and the three professional sides playing in the Football League.

The tournament about to begin it’s eighth year impressed the BBC, with viewing figures achieved throughout the rounds, with Swansea defeating five-times winners and holders Wrexham in the last ever game at Swansea’s Vetch Field ground.

A meeting will be held before the end of June for the clubs to agree the deal.

Should it be agreed the competition next season will feature:

• The 10 WPL clubs which finished from second to 11th last season, the 'exiles'

and the league clubs, plus Welsh Cup winners TNS.

• The Welsh Premier qualifiers are Rhyl, Bangor City, Haverfordwest County, Caersws, Carmarthen Town, Cwmbran Town, Aberystwyth Town, Welshpool Town, Newtown and Porthmadog.

• Merthyr and Newport qualify because they finished in a higher league position than the other exiled non-league side, Colwyn Bay.

The competition winners will receive £100,000 and prize money includes £50,000 for the runner-up; the losing semi-finalists £25,000 and the beaten quarter-finalists £15,000.

In addition to that television rights are split up between the clubs with the games being broadcast on BBC2W.