Sky retains bulk of EPL TV rights
The rights to show English Premier League matches in the UK were sold yesterday morning (Singapore time) for £4.46 billion (S$8.2b), with two live packages still to be sold.
Although the deal for 2019-2022 as it stands is down on the previous agreement, it still confirms the EPL as the biggest money-spinner in the European leagues in terms of TV receipts - for example domestic rights for Spain's La Liga for the three seasons from 2016/17 were sold for 2.65 billion euros (S$4.2b).
The five EPL packages of the seven to be sold have netted £700 million less than the total achieved in 2015, when 168 games were up for grabs.
Sky retained its position as the main broadcaster of EPL matches by winning four of the packages of television rights for 2019-22.
Sky, the EPL's main broadcast partner since the competition was established in 1992, will broadcast 128 out of 200 available games, including all fixtures on Fridays, Sundays and Mondays. The other one of the packages sold has gone to BT Sport, a satellite rival of Sky.
"We are extremely pleased that BT and Sky continue to view the EPL and our clubs as such an important part of their offering," said EPL executive chairman Richard Scudamore in a statement.
"Both broadcasters are fantastic partners for the EPL and have a track record of making our competition available to fans across the country through their high-quality and innovative programming.
"We will now continue the sales process to deliver the best possible outcome for the remaining packages of rights in the UK and throughout the rest of the world." - AFP
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