EPL to scrap 2022-25 rights auction?
April 26, 2021
The Premier League is discussing abandoning the next TV rights auction and instead rolling over the existing deals with BT, Sky and Amazon.
The new auction for domestic Premier League rights, for 2022 to 2025, was imminent. However, the league is now in talks with the broadcasters and UK government about a ‘private’ rollover, according to the Sunday Telegraph. Such an approach could well attract a legal challenge from other potential bidders, including DAZN.
The Premier League is concerned that friction with some top clubs, the current pandemic, Brexit, and the more cooperative approach between Sky and BT, might all impact on the price of the next rights deal.
Under the current contract, Sky paid £3.75 billion (€4.3bn) for its 128 live games a season, BT paid £975 million for 52 games, while Amazon paid an undisclosed fee for 20 matches. During the Covid, pandemic all of the broadcasters, including the BBC which holds a highlights package, have between them screened the majority of the Premier League programme while crowds have been absent.