The English Premier League is looking to switch up how its U.K. fans watch matches on a weekly basis.
The EPL currently holds domestic media rights deals with Sky Sports, TNT Sports (a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery formerly known as BT Sport), and Amazon Prime Video that are bringing in more than $6 billion over the life of a three-year cycle ending in 2025.
As negotiations ramp up for the next set of media deals, the EPL appears to want to extend the deal cycles to four years and have fewer broadcasters with larger packages, according to the Financial Times. Bidding could start within weeks and is expected to include the incumbent broadcasters, as well as DAZN.
The EPL wants to see a sizable increase from this set of rights deals, which could be more feasible with longer, more lucrative contracts. The consolidation strategy contrasts with major U.S. leagues like the NFL or Big Ten conference, which continue to expand their partnership scopes.
Across The Pond
In the U.S., NBC has begun its second decade broadcasting the Premier League, reportedly paying $2.7 billion for its most recent six-year pact.
When that deal expires in 2028, the EPL and English Football League are exploring the idea of selling their overseas media rights together. The lower divisions would reportedly receive 14.75% of the net media revenue.
