The Premier League confirmed a record £6.7 billion ($8.45 billion) domestic television rights agreement on Monday, slated for a four-year duration beginning in the 2025/26 season.
The reported value of the current deal is roughly £5 billion for a three-year cycle, featuring coverage of 200 matches in each season.
The agreements forged with different broadcasters were hailed by the English top flight as the “largest sports media rights deals ever concluded in the UK.”
The rights to broadcast live matches have been retained by Sky Sports and TNT Sports, while Amazon, currently showcasing 20 matches per season, is excluded from the next cycle.
Sky is slated to air a minimum of 215 live matches per season, alongside TNT’s broadcast of 52 matches. BBC Sport will persist in offering highlights through its Match of the Day program.
A Saturday afternoon blackout, designed to protect attendances in the lower leagues, will remain but for the first time all matches outside of those scheduled for 3:00 pm on Saturday will be screened live.
The Premier League boasted of a four percent increase in live rights value compared with the previous process but the broadcasters will be paying significantly less per game because they will be showing more matches each season.
‘The outcome of this process underlines the strength of the Premier League,” said the Premier League’s chief executive, Richard Masters.’
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‘It 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.’
He added: ‘As longstanding and valued partners, Sky Sports and TNT Sports are renowned for consistently delivering world-class coverage and programming.’
‘We have enjoyed record audiences and attendances in recent seasons, and we know that their continued innovation will drive more people to watch and follow the Premier League.’
According to the Premier League, the newly announced deal guarantees financial stability for clubs in professional football, securing it until at least 2029.
The ongoing deal, extended for an extra three years in 2021 due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, makes this the first Premier League tender process since 2018.
The deal ensures the retention of the substantial financial advantage held by Premier League clubs compared to their European counterparts, stemming from notably more lucrative domestic and international TV rights deals.
The value of international rights for the English top flight exceeded domestic rights for the first time last year, with an estimated contribution of £5.3 billion expected between 2022 and 2025.
In this year’s Deloitte Football Money League, the Premier League showcased its dominance, accounting for 11 out of the top 20 clubs, with Manchester City leading the chart as champions.