Premier League triggers scramble for lucrative TV rights
Published May 4 2012, 09:24 BST | By Andrew Laughlin
© Rex Features / olfgang Weinhaupl / WestEnd61
Yesterday, an Invitation to Tender was issued for parties interested in acquiring the UK audio visual rights for the seasons 2013/14, 2014/15 and 2015/16.
A total of 154 matches will be shown live on TV each season from 2013/14, 16 more than currently broadcast.
The extra 16 games come as matches are shifted away from 3pm kick-offs due to European ties, or due to police advice.
The Premier League does not allow 3pm kick-offs to be shown live on television as it wants to encourage attendance at games.
Live rights will be split into seven packages, while a highlights package will be protected for free-to-air, typically going to the BBC for Match of the Day.
The live rights are split into five packages of 26 matches and two packs of 12 games. No single buyer is allowed to acquire more than 116 games.
"This creates a more attractive and compelling offering for both broadcasters and fans; whilst allowing the continued protection of the Saturday 3pm 'closed window' and minimising further displacement of Premier League fixtures," said the Premier League in a short statement.
Currently, Sky holds the majority of live TV rights, and ESPN holds the remainder. They paid £1.6 billion for their current packages.
These two broadcasters are expected to bid again, but they are likely to face a challenge from the growing Al Jazeera network.
However, another factor could be whether emerging connected TV platforms look to acquire the lucrative rights to boost their services, following previous speculation that US tech giants Apple and Google could be interested.
These firms could be more interested in another sales process to be run of two "near live" long-form packages, containing 226 matches - one for linear and the other for on-demand exploitation.
There will also be an "internet-based clips package" offered in the auction for all 380 matches each season. The league said that both the live and "near live" packages "will be available for exploitation on a technology neutral basis".
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Pete Kealy Yeah I saw that today. Interesting read! Wonder if they've got knowledge of Al Jazeera coming in and throwing stupid money around? I think ESPN will still bid no matter what and just hope for the best... If they lose though, perhaps it's bye bye ESPN and hello beIN Sport!
May 9th 2012 at 6:13pm
Or maybe not ESPN http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/45597/espn-could-quite-uk-fa-cup
May 9th 2012 at 6:10pm
I think a FTA channel will make a cheeky bid for one of the 12 match packages but with Sky and ESPN hell bent on securing the rights for themselves for the good of their own continued service, it's highly unlikely that any FTA bid will even touch the sides compared to those of the pay-TV channels. Personally I think the only way we'd ever see FTA matches is if the league have a stipulation in the tender documents like they do in other countries.
Al Jazeera Sports isn't available in the UK but it they did enter bidding (and won) they'd launch a new UK service. When they won their football rights in France they didn't have a channel over there and same goes for when they won rights in USA. They'll be launching a service called beIN Sport in both countries to show the games they own. If they bid and won over here, you could expect to see a beIN Sport channel launching because they don't seem to be using the Al Jazeera branding outside of the Middle East.
May 7th 2012 at 4:33pm
Thomas Smith You're joking right?..... Al Jazeera snatched the French League rights from Canel+ (one of BSKYBs biggest competitors), they are funded by the Qatari Royal Family who have unlimited funds.
May 7th 2012 at 4:16pm
Am I the only person who thinks an FTA channel should bid for some of the matches? Like the BBC did with the Championship? And is Al Jazeera Sports available in the UK? I only thought they had a news channel...
May 7th 2012 at 12:49pm