Premier League inks mega $8.45b TV rights deal

The Premier League just sealed a groundbreaking TV deal worth an astonishing $8.45 billion for their domestic rights. This deal, effective from the 2025/26 season, represents a hefty increase compared to the previous one.

Announced on Monday, the Premier League finalized an unparalleled domestic television rights deal amounting to £6.7 billion, scheduled for a four-year duration starting in the 2025/26 season. Comparatively, the existing agreement, covering 200 matches per season, stood at approximately £5 billion across three years.

Sky Sports and TNT Sports secured their rights to broadcast live matches. Sky pledges to air a minimum of 215 live games each season, while TNT will showcase 52. Interestingly, Amazon won't be part of the new cycle despite currently displaying 20 matches per season.

What's changed? The Saturday afternoon blackout stays to protect lower league attendances, but all matches outside of those set for 3:00 pm on Saturdays will now be live-screened.

Richard Masters, the Premier League's CEO, hailed this deal as a testament to the league's strength, crediting it to the competitive football and the unparalleled atmosphere fans create every week. Sky Sports and TNT Sports received accolades for their consistent top-quality coverage.

Financially, this deal ensures stability for clubs until at least 2029, presenting a substantial advantage over European counterparts. Due to the pandemic's impact, the previous deal got extended in 2021, making this the first tender process since 2018.

This record-breaking TV deal arrives after the Premier League's international rights surpassed domestic ones last year, showcasing the league's worldwide popularity. In this year's Deloitte Football Money League, Manchester City claimed the top spot, with 11 out of the top 20 clubs belonging to the Premier League.