The English Premier League has announced that it has agreed in principle to roll over its £5 billion (US$7 billion) deal with Sky, Amazon, and BT Sport for UK rights to the prestigious soccer competition.
The deal, which has been endorsed by the UK government to ward off an antitrust investigation, means that Sky, Amazon, and BT Sport will continue to broadcast the Premier League live until 2025. The BBC will also continue to show non-live highlights on Match Of The Day.
Rolling over the contracts means that the rights have not been put up for auction, preventing new entrants from bidding. There were reports that DAZN, the streamer run by former Disney executive Kevin Mayer, was interested in bidding after it recently beat Sky to Serie A rights in Italy.
There were concerns that an auction would have resulted in a deal valued at less than the £5 billion achieved in 2018, which would have been problematic for Premier League clubs after their matchday revenue has taken a huge hit during the coronavirus pandemic.
Premier League CEO Richard Masters said, “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. COVID-19 has had a significant impact on football, and renewals with our UK broadcast partners will reduce uncertainty, generate stability and promote confidence within the football pyramid.”
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