Premier League Renews Broadcasting Contracts to Stay on Air
Last week, all Premier League clubs approved the rollover of their broadcasting deal, granting Sky, the BBC, Amazon, and BT another three years of live and non-live streaming rights. The UK Government agreed to this extension of lucrative rights without a tender process to make up for the financial disruption COVID has created for football.
The deal will impact not just the 20 Premier League clubs, but also those further down the football ladder, securing funding for lower league clubs, broadcasters, and fans alike, at least until 2025.
“We are hugely appreciative of the government agreeing in principle to allow this arrangement and for their continued support for the Premier League and the English game,” Premier League Chief Executive, Richard Masters, said.
However, not everyone is elated about this deal renewal: Some parties have already voiced their concerns about it actually being a denial of rights for smaller streaming services, such as DAZN. The streamer will now have to wait another three years to add UK sports broadcasting to its service.
The overall value of the three-year extension for the following broadcast cycle is worth around £5 billion, the same as the ongoing one. On top of that, as a part of the agreement, the Premier League will provide an additional £100 million to support football clubs in the lower leagues, women’s and girls’ football, and charities.
The agreement with broadcasters will help increase job counts and tax revenues, positively impact the industry, and allow the most prominent clubs to show solidarity for the less high-profile members of the British football league. Now that the country is seeing more and more spectators return to sports venues, things might go back to something close to normal in terms of ticket revenue, as well.
Of course, the lifting of restrictions will boost the brick-and-mortar betting and gambling industry, too. Still, the newly-launched betting sites that emerged during lockdown can also expect to see their revenue go up as games and spectating resume fully.