Record Premier League TV Deal: What It Means For Football Fans
As recently announced, the Premier League has just agreed to a record-breaking and historic TV rights deal. The fee for coverage to broadcast the games to the best football league in the world? a staggering £6.7 billion for the UK rights sale alone.
The biggest package deals once again went to sports broadcasting company Sky Sports. The media giants secured the rights to 4 out of the possible 5 packages on offer.
As with previous deals, the TV companies will choose the games to show in a way that all teams including those at the bottom half are shown equally to those at the top including. Arsenal. Liverpool, Man United and Chelsea.
Key Facts of Deal
Sky Sports will broadcast a minimum of 215 live matches per season.
TNT Sports will broadcast 52 live matches per season.
BBC’s Match of The Day secured ‘the highlights package’ for all 380 games.
All 10 games on the Final Day to be shown live.
So, what does this colossal TV rights deal mean for the average football fan?
This TV deal is set to reshape the way football is consumed by fans in the UK. Our question is what does this mean for the average football fan.
First and foremost, the increased number of live matches across various days means fans will have more opportunities to watch the English Premier League. Whilst football supporters will still have to find Premier League tickets to attend the games, those fans not in the stadium can now watch more matches.
The coverage has been expanded on weekends, evenings, and midweek which will cater to the diverse schedules and preferences of football fans in the UK.
Final Day Drama on One Channel
By allowing Sky Sports to show all 10 games at the same time for the final day of the season will be a great benefit for fans. In previous seasons, the games have been split between channels and service providers. The drama of the final day will now be enjoyed live on Sky Sports. From the title-winning games to the relegation battle and every game in between, this is great development for fans around the UK. Currently one website has Liverpool tickets for the final day listed for over £500, making watching on TV the most affordable option for most fans.
Exclusive TV Days for TNT Sports
TNT Sports signed an agreement which will give them exclusive coverage on some midweek rounds and Saturday football. This means that fans paying for TNT will be able to watch all the games on that particular day. Critics will point to whether this is affordable for most football fans, a debate that will be sure to continue.
Better Premier League Coverage
The main advantage of allowing different broadcasters to show the Premier League is that this will create competition for the football coverage offered. Sky Sports, TNT and the BBC will compete for the best pundits, analysis and pre-match, post-match coverage, all of which will benefit the football fan watching the games.
Final Thoughts
Starting in 2025 and finishing in 2029, this record-breaking TV rights deal by the Premier League will commence with Sky and TNT aiming to get record viewing numbers with more games being shown than ever before.
This unprecedented coverage and increasing amount of fixtures being shown overall makes it better for football fans. The final day in the Premier League is a major sporting day in the calendar, the ability to watch all games is a good improvement on the current deal.
