Premier League TV rights: BT Sport welcomes in-principle agreement to renew broadcast deal until 2025

Following today’s announcement by the Premier League, BT Sport welcomes the in-principle agreement for a three-year renewal to our current broadcast deal.

This means, subject to terms, that until 2025 BT Sport will continue to show 52 exclusively live Premier League games per season.

Marc Allera, CEO of BT’s Consumer division, said: “Throughout this difficult year the Premier League and broadcasters have all worked together to find pro-active solutions to ensure the Premier League, and the lower leagues, have a safe and secure way out of the pandemic. 

“This in-principle renewal of our broadcast rights is great for our viewers, but also helps to provide vital support for the broader football community that relies on the Premier League.

“The fantastic news for our viewers is that, once the deal is concluded, they can continue to enjoy the Premier League alongside the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League exclusively live on BT Sport.”

Once the deal is concluded, BT Sport will continue the current schedule, kicking the weekend off with Saturday lunchtime fixtures plus bumper weeks of back-to-back and simultaneous midweek fixtures. 

BT Sport will accommodate the new Premier League agreement around fixture congestion during UEFA Champions League weeks, with the BT Sport Saturday game moving to a prime evening slot of 7.45pm when teams involved have played in Europe on the prior Wednesday.

Under the terms of the in-principle agreement with the Premier League, BT is unable to confirm the exact cost for the renewed rights.

However, BT can confirm that the cost of the rights reflect current market conditions and are in line with current market expectations.

Prior to the pandemic, the Premier League budgeted to commit £1.5bn to the pyramid over a three-year period.

On the basis of the proposed UK renewals, that commitment would be maintained during the next rights cycle and supplemented by an additional £100m of support over the next four years to areas of the football community particularly vulnerable to Covid-19.

The extra funding would be available to more than 1,000 clubs in the National League system, women’s and girls’ football, EFL League One and League Two clubs and the Football Foundation.

It would also support a number of football-wide projects, including the Premier League’s work looking at head injuries in football, anti-discrimination and fan groups who receive funding from the Premier League. 

The Premier League would release £20m in August 2021 for clubs in the National League system, women’s and girls’ football, EFL League One and League Two to assist with immediate Covid-19 recovery.    

“The Premier League would like to express our gratitude to our broadcast partners for their continued commitment to the Premier League and support for the football pyramid," said Premier League chief executive Richard Masters.

“We are hugely appreciative of the government agreeing in principle to allow this arrangement and for their continued support for the Premier League and the English game.

"Covid-19 has had a significant impact on football, and renewals with our UK broadcast partners will reduce uncertainty, generate stability and promote confidence within the football pyramid."