Premier League eyes biggest ever TV rights deal

The Premier League is aiming to smash its own record domestic television rights deal after making 70 more matches available for broadcast from 2025.

Currently, 200 matches per season are sold to broadcasters in the UK with the three-year deal that runs until the 2024/25 season worth a reported £4.8 billion ($5.8 billion).

A Saturday afternoon blackout, designed to protect attendances in the lower leagues, will remain.

However, matches switched to Sundays due to the involvement of clubs in European fixtures will be broadcast live for the first time.

The extra games will also come from every match of five midweek rounds per season and the final round of the season being shown live.

Rather than the usual three-year cycle, the Premier League is inviting offers on a four-year deal lasting till the 2028/29 season.

This is the first Premier League tender process since 2016 as the current deal was rolled over in 2021 for an extra three years due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Five packages containing between 42 and 65 live matches will be available for broadcasters to bid on.

The present deal is split between 128 matches for Sky Sports, 52 for TNT Sports and 20 on Amazon.

Competition is expected to be fierce with streaming platform DAZN reportedly interested in acquiring rights for the first time.

Premier League clubs already enjoy a huge financial advantage over their European competitors due to far more lucrative domestic and international TV rights deals.