By Frank Dalleres
The Premier League is hiking the number of matches broadcast live in the UK by 35 per cent in a bid to avoid a decline in the value of its domestic rights.
England’s top division is offering 270 of the 380 games for live broadcast from the 2025-26 season, up from the current total of 200 a year.
It is also expanding the number of midweek rounds in which all matches are shown live from two to five. These are currently shown on Amazon Prime Video.
The Premier League’s broadcast rights are worth around £10bn for the current three-year cycle and are by far the biggest component of its revenue.
This cycle saw the value of international rights overtake domestic for the first time, after UK broadcasters baulked at an increase following pandemic disruption.
The increase in live matches available will be expected to see domestic rights increase in value, albeit not necessarily on a per-game basis.
It will also appease supporters frustrated that fans overseas are able to watch all Premier League games, which has also encouraged piracy.
The 270 matches are to be sold in five different packages, each consisting of between 42 and 65 games per season.
No single broadcaster is allowed to hold more than four packages, and it is expected that Sky and TNT Sports will continue to share most of the fixtures.
But Amazon may face competition for its midweek package, with rival streamers such as Dazn, Apple or Netflix all potential competition for the rights.
Dazn has mostly focused on combat sports for its UK audience but holds football rights in other markets and floated its interest in a Premier League deal earlier this year.
Apple made its biggest move yet in football when it signed a 10-year contract worth $2.5bn with Major League Soccer last year.
Netflix’s sports offering has until now been solely documentary content but will make its live sport debut next month.
It is showing the Netflix Cup, a nine-hole golf tournament between PGA Tour stars and Formula 1 drivers to coincide with Las Vegas Grand Prix week.
