BRISTOL: ESPN has taken over US broadcasts of England's second-tier League Championship and League Cup from BeIN Sports.

The matches started airing online on ESPN3 with Friday's league openers under a sublicense with BAMTech, which acquired US rights from England's Football League. The deal also includes the third and fourth tiers.

The agreement is the first for broadcast rights for BAMTech since Michael Paull became CEO in March.

BAMTech was spun off last year from Baseball Advanced Media, and its owners include Major League Baseball; The Walt Disney Co. — ESPN's parent company — and the NHL.