Big Ron
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- 13 Dec 2017
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The company I work for is part of a larger media group and as part of that we get regular analysis of general goings on in the world of TV. Interestingly enough, this morning's update was a summary of the revised Sky EFL broadcast deal starting in 2024. While they are paying more money they are also going to broadcast four times as many games - up to 1,000 per season! It seems iFollow will disappear as well with Sky offering an alternative, at a cost of course. This is taken from the email I received:
Sky has held the live rights to broadcast EFL matches since 1995—save for the 2001/02 season where they were with ITV's OnDigital before it went into administration—and has just reached agreement to retain the exclusive rights for the five seasons from 2024/25 through to 2028/29. While the headline figure of £895 million in rights fees and £40 million in "marketing benefits" spread over the five years is 50% more than the current deal, Sky will broadcast four times more live matches on Sky Sports (TV and apps) than at present—a record for any club agreement. Moreover, given the last deal at £119 million was agreed in September 2017, if rights costs had merely kept pace with inflation, then by the time the new cycle starts in August 2024 the figure would be on average £149 million per season. Instead Sky will be paying £179 million, which in real terms is 20% more than currently, but for EFL's press headlines does not sound like quite so good a deal.
Each league weekend there will be five live Championship and five League One/Two matches broadcast on Sky Sports. In addition, all opening and final day fixtures across the EFL, all midweek league games, bank holiday games and League One/Two matches played during international breaks will be broadcast. Thus, the only games not live on Sky Sports will be 832 Saturday 3pm matches across the three divisions, as the EFL has decided to retain 'Article 48,' which blocks the live broadcast of matches between 2.45pm and 5.15pm on a Saturday.
In addition, Sky will have the rights to broadcast every Carabao Cup game—given the esteem in which this competition is now held among the major Premier League (PL) teams, this is worth significant value in itself. The EFL Trophy will also receive unprecedented broadcast support with all matches on Sky Sports.
For a monthly fee, the EFL clubs currently provide their fans with the option to stream matches that are neither broadcast on Sky nor kick off at 3pm on a Saturday via either the EFL's iFollow app or a club's individual streaming service. We understand monthly paying subscriber numbers at most clubs is in the low thousands if that, and wonder how successful any of the clubs' streaming services have been. It is therefore perhaps not that surprising that under the new rights deal Sky will take over this service, with the experience likely to be much improved as Sky will provide commentary and at least four cameras at Championship and League One matches and two in League Two. We would expect this to be marketed as an add-on to Sky rather than an alternative video subscription service. This could even perhaps be extended to the Premier League, where larger clubs may attract more significant following.
Sky has held the live rights to broadcast EFL matches since 1995—save for the 2001/02 season where they were with ITV's OnDigital before it went into administration—and has just reached agreement to retain the exclusive rights for the five seasons from 2024/25 through to 2028/29. While the headline figure of £895 million in rights fees and £40 million in "marketing benefits" spread over the five years is 50% more than the current deal, Sky will broadcast four times more live matches on Sky Sports (TV and apps) than at present—a record for any club agreement. Moreover, given the last deal at £119 million was agreed in September 2017, if rights costs had merely kept pace with inflation, then by the time the new cycle starts in August 2024 the figure would be on average £149 million per season. Instead Sky will be paying £179 million, which in real terms is 20% more than currently, but for EFL's press headlines does not sound like quite so good a deal.
Each league weekend there will be five live Championship and five League One/Two matches broadcast on Sky Sports. In addition, all opening and final day fixtures across the EFL, all midweek league games, bank holiday games and League One/Two matches played during international breaks will be broadcast. Thus, the only games not live on Sky Sports will be 832 Saturday 3pm matches across the three divisions, as the EFL has decided to retain 'Article 48,' which blocks the live broadcast of matches between 2.45pm and 5.15pm on a Saturday.
In addition, Sky will have the rights to broadcast every Carabao Cup game—given the esteem in which this competition is now held among the major Premier League (PL) teams, this is worth significant value in itself. The EFL Trophy will also receive unprecedented broadcast support with all matches on Sky Sports.
For a monthly fee, the EFL clubs currently provide their fans with the option to stream matches that are neither broadcast on Sky nor kick off at 3pm on a Saturday via either the EFL's iFollow app or a club's individual streaming service. We understand monthly paying subscriber numbers at most clubs is in the low thousands if that, and wonder how successful any of the clubs' streaming services have been. It is therefore perhaps not that surprising that under the new rights deal Sky will take over this service, with the experience likely to be much improved as Sky will provide commentary and at least four cameras at Championship and League One matches and two in League Two. We would expect this to be marketed as an add-on to Sky rather than an alternative video subscription service. This could even perhaps be extended to the Premier League, where larger clubs may attract more significant following.
