12/09/2016
The Premier League, arguably the most popular football league in the world, is once again at a pivotal moment regarding its broadcast rights. With the current deal set to expire, a new auction is looming, promising to reshape how fans across the UK consume their beloved sport. The upcoming auction for the 2025-28 rights marks the first time since 2018 that these lucrative packages will be up for grabs, following a period where Sky, BT Sport, and Amazon collectively paid approximately £4.8 billion for the domestic broadcast packages. The subsequent renewal in 2021 extended this deal for another three years, but the stage is now set for a fresh battle for the rights to show the beautiful game.
The current setup generates a substantial £1.66 billion per year, a slight dip from the £1.7 billion secured in the 2015 auction. This minor decrease suggests the Premier League might be looking to introduce new strategies and potentially shake up the established order. As we look towards the 2025-28 season, the question on everyone's lips is: who will emerge victorious in this high-stakes bidding war?
The Incumbents: Familiar Faces in the Ring
Several broadcasters have become synonymous with Premier League coverage, and they are expected to be key players in the upcoming auction. These incumbents have built their brands around showcasing the league's drama and excitement, and their continued involvement is crucial for maintaining the current broadcast ecosystem.
Sky Sports: The Dominant Force
Sky Sports has long been the undisputed leader in Premier League broadcasting, currently holding four of the seven available packages. This gives them access to a staggering 128 matches per season. Their previous investment of £3.57 billion in 2018, while 14% less than their 2015 outlay, underscores their commitment. Now under the ownership of telecommunications giant Comcast, Sky Sports potentially has even greater financial firepower. For Sky, the Premier League is not just a broadcast product; it's an integral part of their identity and a significant driver of subscriptions. While they might consider relinquishing some of their less critical packages to remain competitive, their overall dominance is likely to continue.
In a significant development, Sky has already secured a new deal worth £1.6bn per year, commencing from August 2025 and running until 2029. This four-year agreement, valued at £6.7bn, is the most lucrative domestic TV rights package in the league's history. While the annualised increase of just 4% might seem modest, the deal represents a substantial expansion in the number of live matches available, fundamentally altering how and when Premier League football is consumed in the UK. Notably, the traditional Saturday 3pm kick-off, long protected by a broadcast blackout, will be increasingly marginalised, with all matches outside this specific window being broadcast live.
TNT Sports (formerly BT Sport): A New Identity
TNT Sports, the rebranded entity of BT Sport following its joint venture with Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), currently holds two packages, offering 52 matches per season. While the rebranding to TNT Sports in July signals a new era, the immediate impact on this bidding round might be limited. The potential migration of rights to WBD's Discovery+ platform remains a future possibility, but for now, the focus for the nascent joint venture will likely be on consolidating its position as a major player in live football broadcasting. They have retained their existing Saturday 12:30 slot and will continue to show 52 games per season.
Amazon Prime Video: The Streaming Challenger
Amazon Prime Video secured the remaining package in the previous auction, granting them access to 20 matches per season. Despite reports of a potential termination of their tennis broadcasting deal, Amazon remains firmly committed to live sports. Their investment in developing a standalone sports streaming app and their substantial £1.5 billion acquisition of Champions League rights last year clearly indicate their serious intent in the football market. However, in the latest deal, Amazon has been left out of the picture, marking a quiet retreat from their tentative foray into English football rights.
The BBC and ITV: Highlights and Potential Plays
The BBC continues to be the home of Premier League highlights through its iconic show, Match of the Day, as part of a £211.5 million deal. Historically, ITV has also vied for these rights, and with its recent successes, including the World Cup, the launch of its ITVX service, and significant content investment, the commercial broadcaster could make a strong bid for the highlights package. However, Match of the Day is deeply ingrained as a BBC institution, making it likely that the public service broadcaster will retain these rights.
The Contenders: New Challengers Emerge
Beyond the established broadcasters, a new wave of digital-native companies are eyeing the Premier League rights, bringing with them different business models and ambitions.
Viaplay: A European Powerhouse
Viaplay, a relatively new entrant to the UK market, having launched in November 2022, already holds Premier League rights in nine European countries, including a significant £2 billion deal for the Nordic streaming rights. Having reportedly challenged Sky Sports for the English Football League (EFL) rights, the crucial question remains whether their financial capacity extends to the Premier League. Their European success demonstrates an appetite for premium football content.
DAZN: The Ambitious Streamer
DAZN, a sports streaming service, has explicitly stated its strong interest in the Premier League rights, with CEO Shay Segev calling them a “high priority.” Although technically a British company, DAZN has struggled to gain significant traction in the UK market. They were disappointed by the absence of an auction in 2021 and missed out on acquiring BT Sport in 2022. However, in Europe, DAZN is a formidable force, holding rights to the Bundesliga, LaLiga, and Serie A. While still working towards profitability, DAZN’s strategy of aggressive spending to expand market presence makes the Premier League a highly desirable asset. It is understood that DAZN, along with other digital-native challengers, failed to break the grip of traditional broadcasters, suggesting they may not have been successful in their bids.
Apple TV+: The Tech Giant's Ambitions
Apple TV+ has shown a willingness to invest heavily in sports, as evidenced by their $2.5 billion deal for Major League Soccer (MLS) rights in the US. However, the Premier League might be hesitant to add another streaming service to an already fragmented rights landscape. For UK consumers, the cost of subscribing to multiple services to watch every Premier League match can already reach around £80 per month, making another subscription financially untenable and potentially increasing the risk of piracy. If the Premier League opts to maintain three broadcast partners, Apple could potentially replace Amazon if the price and terms are agreeable.
The Outsiders: Niche Players and Future Possibilities
While some companies might not be immediate frontrunners, their involvement in sports broadcasting suggests they could play a role in the evolving media landscape.
YouTube: The NFL Investment
YouTube recently made a significant splash by paying a reported $14 billion to stream NFL Sunday Ticket games. However, the NFL package was not as valuable to traditional broadcasters as the Premier League. YouTube also has an existing deal with Sky Sports to host highlights. The Premier League may view YouTube as a valuable platform for reaching younger demographics, rather than as a primary destination for live broadcast rights.
Facebook: Global Reach, Domestic Restraint
Facebook currently holds the Premier League rights in Southeast Asia, having secured them with a £200 million deal. While this demonstrates their interest in football, the company's existing content generation from the Premier League in other territories suggests they may not need to acquire the expensive domestic rights. The potential for augmented reality and Metaverse viewing parties could lead to the league exploring new digital offerings, but current technology limitations favour short-form content over full match broadcasts.
The New Broadcast Landscape: Consolidation and the Demise of 3pm
The latest broadcast rights deal signifies a major shift. Sky Sports will become the lead broadcaster, showing at least 267 live matches per season across its platforms. TNT Sports has retained its Saturday 12:30 slot, broadcasting 52 games. This consolidation means that Amazon, which previously held rights to two midweek and Christmas rounds, is no longer a partner. The Premier League's decision to reduce the number of packages from seven to five was a deliberate move to concentrate value and increase competition among a more focused group of bidders, ultimately favouring established broadcasters over new digital entrants.
This strategy has resulted in a reinforcement of the traditional broadcast model, with no streaming-only offerings or direct-to-consumer experiments. Sky's increased presence is also evident in its multi-platform broadcast strategy, embracing internet-delivered services and apps as a core part of its offering, reflecting the changing habits of its customer base. The days of Sky being solely a satellite TV business are long gone, with a significant majority of new customers opting for IP-delivered services.
Perhaps the most significant change for fans is the further marginalisation of the traditional Saturday 3pm kick-off. With Sky and TNT Sports broadcasting an increased number of games, the number of matches played in this slot is set to dwindle. This is a continuation of a trend already in motion, with clubs often rescheduling fixtures due to European commitments. Under the new deal, all such displaced matches will be broadcast live, meaning fewer matches will be available for fans to attend in person on a Saturday afternoon, even if they hold season tickets.
The Premier League's commitment to broadcasting 267 live matches per season, with none in the 3pm slot, leads to an unavoidable conclusion: the 3pm fixture is in terminal decline. It is increasingly becoming the preserve of clubs not involved in European competitions, and even then, only when the fixture calendar permits. It's a stark reality that only the least attractive fixtures, on paper, will be played at 3pm on a Saturday, a situation that is already largely in place. This shift raises questions about the value of season tickets for fans who may find their preferred match times constantly changing.
Sky's Strategic Importance and the Future of Football Broadcasting
For Sky, securing these Premier League rights is not just a business transaction; it's an existential necessity. In an increasingly competitive media landscape, the Premier League remains the “crown jewel” of its subscription portfolio, a status it has held since its inception in 1992. Sky's strategy of doubling down on live sports, particularly domestic football, is a clear indication of its priorities. Their recent acquisition of EFL rights, granting them access to 1,000 matches a season, further solidifies this commitment, albeit with a different level of coverage compared to the Premier League.
The Premier League's decision to pursue a strategy of “more is more” in its pursuit of revenue, while potentially lucrative in the short term, raises several untested hypotheses. Will this saturation of football content lead to happier and more loyal subscribers? Will viewers tune in, and if so, who will they be? What will they be watching, and more importantly, what will they be *not* watching? Are fans becoming mere background elements in a polished broadcast? How will a seven-day-a-week football schedule work for fans, especially away supporters? And what about the players themselves?
The interdependency between the Premier League, Sky, and the EFL is profound, with significant financial stakes involved in this latest evolution of broadcast deals. The appointment of a seasoned media executive as the first Chair of the Independent Football Regulator could prove crucial in maintaining the delicate balance of this complex ecosystem.
| Broadcaster | Packages Secured | Approx. Matches per Season | Key Time Slots |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sky Sports | Packages B, C, D, E, F, G (6 of 7) | At least 267 | Super Sunday (4:30pm), Saturday Evenings, Sunday Afternoons, Midweek, Final Day |
| TNT Sports | Package A (1 of 7) | 52 | Saturday Lunchtime (12:30pm) |
| Amazon Prime Video | None | 0 | N/A |
| BBC | Highlights | N/A | Match of the Day |
| ITV | Potential for Highlights | N/A | Potential for Highlights |
Frequently Asked Questions:
When do the Premier League rights go up for auction?
The Premier League rights for the 2025-28 seasons went up for auction later in 2024, with the new deals commencing from August 2025.
Which Premier League packages did TNT buy?
TNT Sports secured Package A, which primarily covers its existing Saturday lunchtime fixtures.
Which Premier League packages did Sky buy?
Sky Sports secured the remaining six packages (B, C, D, E, F, and G), significantly increasing its live match coverage.
What is the impact on the Saturday 3pm kick-off?
The traditional Saturday 3pm kick-off will be increasingly marginalised, with most matches outside this specific window being broadcast live. The number of games in this slot is expected to significantly decrease.
Did Amazon bid for the new rights?
Amazon Prime Video has not secured any Premier League broadcast packages in the latest deal, marking its exit from this specific area of English football rights.
What is the total value of the new Premier League broadcast deal?
The new domestic broadcast deal is worth £6.7 billion over four years, with Sky Sports alone committing £1.6bn per year.
Will I need more subscriptions to watch the Premier League?
With Sky Sports and TNT Sports being the primary broadcasters, fans will likely need subscriptions to both services to watch the majority of live matches, although the exact package breakdown will determine the ultimate cost.
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