Sources: £5bn+ auction to open this summer as Leeds United owner Andrea Radrizzani eyes deal
The Premier League is expected to begin the tender process for its domestic TV rights this summer in a development that will put Leeds United co-owner Andrea Radrizzani on high alert, sources have told Football Insider.
The sale of the 2025-28 broadcast privileges will likely be complete within a year of the beginning of the tender process, with the deal due to be worth around £5billion to the Premier League in total.
Sky Sports, BT Sports (which will re-brand as TNT Sports as part of its merger with Eurosport later this year), and Amazon will all make offers, but there could also be disruptive bidders in the form of Apple TV and DAZN.
Radrizzani, who is expected to sell his 56 per cent stake in Leeds to co-owners 49ers Enterprises before January next year, joined the board at DAZN in February after the streaming service acquired his ELEVEN Sports company.
The Italian entrepreneur’s business partner Marc Watson also sits on the board at DAZN, who are in a growth phase.
The OTT platform has confirmed that securing Premier League rights in the UK is a “high priority” for the expanding company, while Apple are also understood to be interested.
Industry experts have continually told Football Insider that the value of the domestic deal could plateau or even fall in value over the next cycle, although enhanced competition for the rights might arrest the slide.
While the Premier League’s domestic deal is by far the biggest in the world, there is recognition behind the scenes that a shake-up is needed to avoid stagnation.
Top-flight clubs are mulling over whether to give broadcasters enhanced access to dressing room and training ground content, although that proposal is not popular with managers.
A more interactive element to TV coverage has also been discussed, as has the potential to package content with a more club-specific focus.
CEO Richard Masters has, however, confirmed that the Premier League is not considering abandoning the Saturday 3pm blackout, which prevents over half of the competition’s matches from being televised.
Many consumers use illegal streaming to access those matches, and data seen by Football Insider shows that Sky Sports believe around 10-15 per cent of its domestic viewership is lost to this demographic.
In other news, Leeds United in advanced talks to agree Jack Harrison deal.