What’s Happening with Football Television Rights?
The Champions League, along with the Premier League, has always had fierce competition vying for who gets to showcase their extremely profitable matches. In recent years, Sky, Amazon Prime and TNT have all shared Premier League games, with the latter two also providing Champions League fixtures.
However, there is talk of frustration, as another streaming service has attained rights for Champions League matches, Paramount. Furthermore, discussion surrounding the three o’clock blackout is increasingly taking place, with the EFL in discussion about its relevance in seasons to come. Ultimately, these brands are looking at fan trends and how they consume footballing entertainment through a modern lens. Innovation, for better or for worse, is inevitable.
Paramount and the Endless Cycle of Streamers
TNT has lost the television rights to the UEFA Champions League. This has come as a shock, with Paramount+ now ready to take over broadcasting responsibilities in the year 2027.
With yet another streaming site getting a hold of the Champions League, more people will feel inclined to create an additional subscription. This means an additional charge for those who already watch their football on Now TV, Prime Video and TNT Sport.
Paramount will reportedly pay considerably more than one billion pounds for the privilege, which could prove a huge risk for them over the course of their four year contract. With the cost of living crisis raging on in the UK, only time will tell how many subscribers will sign up to Paramount+ and watch the new coverage of Champions League football.
Three O’Clock Blackout Review
According to YouGov, 57% of British football fans oppose the blackout. A significant figure, that can’t be ignored when it comes to modernising the game.
In the Premier League, stadiums sell out regularly, as fans struggling for a ticket desperately wish there was a way to watch their team play at three o’clock on Saturdays. There are talks between the English Football Leagues on lifting the ban beyond 2028.
More lucrative sums for the television rights can be earned domestically, pumping more money into the Premier League. To continue with the league’s development, better outreach, providing quality broadcasting and more games is something simple, yet effective, that will help improve fan satisfaction.
The Lower Leagues
The more important issue surrounding the lifting of the blackout isn’t the effect it will have on the Premier League, but rather on the lower leagues of English football.
With more Premier League games being broadcast, there is a risk people will forget their local teams, and Championship, League One and League Two attendances could all decrease. There would be a solution to this: more televised coverage throughout the English Football League, providing more clubs with broadcasting revenue.
Overall, only a fifth of fans are more likely to attend a match in person due to the blackout. Therefore, if clubs still manage to maintain a steady attendance, retaining four fifths of tickets sold while pocketing lucrative television deals, there is potential for money to be passed down the leagues and transform clubs suffering in the current climate.
The World of Illegal Streams
There is no doubt that the world of dodgy streaming is common in the UK. The three o’clock blackout and endless subscriptions required to watch games is often what sends fans looking for alternative methods.
Over one third of fans attempt to watch the three o’clock games online. Clubs receive compensation for domestic and international rights separately. This is why fans in the UK can only find streams online that broadcast abroad.
Theoretically, clubs are losing out on higher domestic revenue because of the blackout, even though many fans in the UK watch online regardless. If the league abandons the blackout, they can bypass this lost revenue while also providing those eager fans with good quality viewing on licensed streaming sites like Sky and TNT.
