Premier League Announces Record $8.45 Billion Domestic TV Deal

The Premier League announced on Monday it had agreed a record 6.7 billion pounds ($8.45 billion) domestic television rights deal for a four-year period starting from the 2025/26 season. The current deal is reported to be worth around 5 billion pounds over a three-year cycle and covers 200 matches per season. The English top flight hailed the agreements shared between different broadcasters as the "largest sports media rights deals ever concluded in the UK". Sky Sports and TNT Sports have retained their rights to show live matches, with Amazon, currently showing 20 matches per season, not part of the next cycle.

Sky will screen a minimum of 215 live matches per season while TNT will broadcast 52. BBC Sport will continue to broadcast highlights via its Match of the Day programme.

A Saturday afternoon blackout, designed to protect attendances in the lower leagues, will remain but for the first time all matches outside of those scheduled for 3:00 pm on Saturday will be screened live.

The Premier League boasted of a four percent increase in live rights value compared with the previous process but the broadcasters will be paying significantly less per game because they will be showing more matches each season.

"The outcome of this process underlines the strength of the Premier League," said the Premier League's chief executive, Richard Masters.

"It is testament to our clubs, players and managers who continue to deliver the world's most competitive football in full stadiums, and to supporters, who create an unrivalled atmosphere every week."

He added: "As longstanding and valued partners, Sky Sports and TNT Sports are renowned for consistently delivering world-class coverage and programming.

"We have enjoyed record audiences