The Premier League has reached a new agreement with Sky and TNT Sports, in which they will receive a total of £6.7 billion over the course of four years for their UK TV broadcasting rights.
The Premier League has quickly reached an agreement with its reliable broadcast partners, ending a much-awaited process. The contract, starting in the 2025-26 season, will maintain stable revenues despite a significant increase in the number of live games.
Sky has successfully obtained four out of the five available packages, guaranteeing at least 215 live matches. This includes all 10 games on the last day of the season. TNT will broadcast 52 matches and BBC’s Match of the Day will still air weekly highlights after securing the rights.
The UK will now have live coverage of all matches, including those not scheduled for 3pm on Saturdays. Additionally, there will be more opportunities to watch games during the week, with some games being shown at the same time and giving fans the option to choose which to watch. This increase in available content and extension of contract terms has allowed the Premier League to secure the biggest sports media rights deal in the UK.
The agreement will strengthen the Premier League’s reputation as the top-performing national football league globally. Although the annual revenue from domestic rights only increased by 4%, which is below the current inflation rates, the deal is more than two times the worth of the recently made deal between Italy’s Serie A.
This development coincides with growing uncertainty about the distribution of broadcast rights, as certain media corporations scale back their investments. Additionally, there has been hesitation among technology companies to fill this gap. In the most recent bidding, Amazon lost its rights to broadcast Premier League matches, after previously securing a discounted deal for the 2019 season. Another anticipated digital competitor, Dazn, did not end up materializing.
Another potential outcome of the increased Premier League contract could impact the Saturday 3pm blackout policy. A common reasoning for not airing games during this time has been to preserve scarcity in order to maintain demand for live matches. A projected increase of over 25% in live game coverage may challenge this reasoning, especially as the UK government has recently supported allowing the Women’s Super League to broadcast live matches during this time.
The CEO of the Premier League, Richard Masters, stated that Sky Sports and TNT Sports, who have been partners for a long time, are known for providing exceptional coverage and programming. In recent years, there have been record-breaking audiences and attendances, and it is expected that their ongoing innovation will attract even more viewers and followers of the Premier League.
The result of this procedure highlights the power of the Premier League and serves as proof of the dedication of our clubs, players, and managers who consistently provide the most competitive football in packed stadiums. It also acknowledges the unmatched energy that supporters bring to every game.
Dana Strong, the top executive of Sky, expressed excitement over the positive outcome for Sky’s customers. They will now have access to a greater number of matches from the world-renowned league.
“We take great pride in our extensive relationship with the Premier League and are excited to continue providing increased interaction, enjoyment, and advancement until the end of the decade. Sky remains the unrivaled destination for sports enthusiasts in the UK.”
Source: theguardian.com
