Premier League broadcast deals set for massive changes

The next round of bidding for Premier League broadcast deals isn’t too far away.

The current three year domestic Premier League broadcast deals take us up to the end of the 2024/25 season.

Although as you can see below, many overseas rights are already agreed up to the end of the 2027/28 PL season.

When it comes to the UK Premier League broadcast deals, this is how things currently stand for the three seasons – 202/23, 2023/24 and 2024/25 in terms of how many live matches are broadcast to the domestic market.

There are 200 of the 380 shown live each season, with Sky Sports showing 128, TNT Sports 52 and Amazon 20.

However, once the Premier League reveal details of the next round of bidding for the domestic market, massive changes predicted:

Bidding set to be for four year / season packages, 2025-2029.

Far more games to be sold and to be shown live, with claims that as many as 270 of the 380 PL matches each season will be broadcast live in the UK.

More time slots to be used to accommodate the extra matches.

The idea of offering broadcasters four year contracts, is to give them additional certainty and be able to plan further ahead, make greater investments.

The likes of Sky Sports and TNT Sports are said to be keen on that idea of four season contracts AND also very keen on the idea of significantly increasing the number of matches they can show from the 2025/26 season onwards.

As for match going fans?

Well, it would automatically mean even more inconvenience and a lot of unpopular kick-off times.

With 3pm on a Saturday still to be protected and no live PL matches to be shown by broadcasters then, a lot of talk of having far more matches to be shown live on a Saturday night and the possibility of a new regular slot on Sunday nights.

We await with ‘interest’…

BBC Sport report – 28 September 2023 – Overseas Premier League broadcast deals for 2025-2028:

The Premier League has concluded deals for live audiovisual rights for the seasons 2025/26-2027/28 in the countries and territories below.

Please note that these include deals that are for six seasons, 2022/23-2027/28, as well as deals that expire in 2025/26.

PL broadcast deals for 2025-28
Europe

• Croatia – Telekom Srbija**
• Czech Republic – CANAL+
• Denmark – NENT**
• Estonia – NENT**
• Finland – NENT**
• France – CANAL+
• Kosovo – Telekom Srbija**
• Latvia – NENT**
• Lithuania – NENT**
• Montenegro – Telekom Srbija**
• Netherlands – NENT**
• North Macedonia – Telekom Srbija**
• Norway – NENT**
• Poland – NENT**
• Russia – Match TV**
• Serbia – Telekom Srbija**
• Slovakia – CANAL+
• Slovenia – Telekom Srbija**
• Sweden – NENT**
• Switzerland – CANAL+ (French language)

Asia-Pacific

• Australia – Optus**
• China – iQIYI Sports*
• New Zealand – Sky NZ**
• Singapore – StarHub**
• Vietnam – CANAL+

Americas

• United States – NBC Sports**

*for four seasons 2021/22-2024/25
**for six seasons 2022/23-2027/28

The Mag