5 Dec 2023

Record deal to broadcast the Premier League

8:35 am on 5 December 2023
Phil Foden of Manchester City celebrates with team mate Julian Alvarez

Phil Foden of Manchester City celebrates with team mate Julian Alvarez Photo: PHOTOSPORT

The Premier League has agreed a new record $13.7bn domestic television deal.

The deal means Sky and TNT will show up to 270 live games a season, while the BBC will continue to show highlights on Match of the Day.

The top flight said the deal, which covers the four years from the 2025-26 season, is the "largest sports media rights deal ever concluded in the UK".

The Saturday 3pm blackout will remain in place, but every 2pm Sunday kick-off will be televised.

Sky has been awarded four of the five packages and will show a minimum of 215 matches a season including Saturday 5.30pm kick-offs, Sunday 2pm and 4.30pm kick-offs, plus evening games on Mondays and Fridays and three midweek rounds.

TNT will show a minimum of 52 matches a season including all 12.30pm kick-offs on Saturdays and two midweek match rounds.

Sky Sports will also broadcast all 10 matches on the final day of each season.

Amazon, which shows 20 matches per season under the league's current deal, has not secured rights in the new agreement.

This is the first time the Premier League has been through a tender process for its rights since 2018.

The current $10bn domestic TV rights deal, which expires at the end of the 2024-25 season, was allowed to be extended because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Premier League said the new deal will "provide financial certainty for clubs throughout professional football until at least 2029".

"The outcome of this process underlines the strength of the Premier League and is testament to our clubs, players and managers who continue to deliver the world's most competitive football in full stadiums, and to supporters, who create an unrivalled atmosphere every week," said Premier League chief executive Richard Masters.

This story first appeared on the BBC