The Premier League has reached a new agreement with Sky and TNT Sports for its UK television rights, securing a £6.7 billion deal over four years. This swift resolution to the anticipated process ensures stability in revenues for the Premier League, extending from the 2025–26 season. Sky has obtained four out of the five packages available, guaranteeing a minimum of 215 live matches, including all 10 fixtures on the season’s final day. TNT will broadcast 52 matches, and Match of the Day will persist as the BBC has acquired rights to a weekly highlights package.
For the first time, all matches outside of Saturday 3 p.m. kick-offs will be broadcast live in the UK. The new deal introduces more midweek matchdays with simultaneous game broadcasts, allowing fans to choose which matches to watch. This expanded content, along with an extension of contract terms, has resulted in what the Premier League calls “the largest sports media rights deal ever concluded in the UK.” This reinforces the Premier League’s position as the world’s most successful domestic football competition. Despite a modest 4% annual revenue growth from domestic rights, the deal’s value is more than double Italy’s recent Serie A agreement.
This agreement occurs amid heightened speculation about the future of broadcast rights, with some media companies scaling back on spending. Tech companies, notably Amazon, lost their rights to Premier League games in the current auction. Amazon had secured a cut-price deal to broadcast games in 2019. Another anticipated digital challenge from the broadcaster Dazn, did not materialize as predicted.
The expanded Premier League deal might have implications for the Saturday 3 p.m. blackout. The argument against televising games at this time has traditionally been to maintain scarcity, which contributes to the demand for the live product. The growth in live matches of more than 25% is likely to challenge that argument, especially at a time when the UK government has supported proposals to allow the Women’s Super League to broadcast live matches at that time. Richard Masters, chief executive of the Premier League, emphasized the longstanding and valued partnership with Sky Sports and TNT Sports. He mentioned their reputation for consistently delivering world-class coverage and programming, expressing confidence in their ability to drive more people to watch and follow the Premier League.
Richard Masters, the chief executive of the Premier League, emphasized that the outcome of the broadcasting rights deal underlines the strength of the league. He attributed the success to the clubs, players, and managers who consistently deliver highly competitive football in full stadiums, as well as the supporters who create an unrivaled atmosphere every week. Dana Strong, the group chief executive of Sky, expressed pride in the long history between Sky and the Premier League, highlighting the significant increase in the number of matches for Sky customers. She described Sky as the undisputed home for sports fans in the UK and looked forward to delivering more engagement, entertainment, and innovation until the end of the decade.
