The Premier League is expected to announced a record-breaking television deal which will see an expected £4.4 billion raised as the battle for broadcast rights continues to intensify.
That's according to Dan Roan of BBC Sport, who suggests the division has become a "cultural phenomenon" and a "wonderful British export." Roan reports that a 45 percent increase on the current £3 billion contract is likely to ensue, with potential new bidders increasing the price of the seven packages on offer.
The BBC has already confirmed a £204 million contract to maintain its Match of the Day highlights show, but Sky and BT could have competition from the US-based Discovery Network and Qatari-operated BeIN Sports, per Roan's article.
Each package is made up of 12 or 26 matches and represents a time slot in which fixtures can be broadcast. This could be the 12.45 p.m. slot, currently owned by BT, or the 8 p.m. slot currently owned by Sky. It is important to note "no single broadcaster can purchase all seven packages," reported by Roan.
Ben Rumsby of The Telegrap h suggests "no winners" were crowned from Friday's first round of bidding, and that Sky Sports' Super Sunday show could come "under threat" when the second round begins on Tuesday. This is the 4 p.m. slot, arguably the flagship show of the weekend. Rumsby noted Sky was "forced to pay big" to stop BT snatching the package two-and-a-half years ago.
Henry Winter of The Telegraph commented on how the extra wealth should be used to help travelling supporters:
Interest in the Premier League continues to grow. Now matches are broadcast online and can be recorded to fit fans' schedules, there's an increasing connectivity to the league which makes it more valuable. Audiences have more ways to watch, meaning broadcasters have more ways to gain interest.
Tuesday's deals are expected to make the division the second most valuable league in the world behind the NFL, per Roan. Considering the difference in size between England the United States, this is quite some achievement.
from Bleacher Report http://ift.tt/16Kph8w
via IFTTT February 09, 2015 at 11:35PM
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