The Premier League are discussing in the future ditching their multi partners including Sky Sports and BT Sport and showing games on their own platform.
It’s likely there will be just one more multi partner deal before the Premier League cut out the middle men and run the show themselves. It will be devastating for Sky who have helped build the Premier League to the financial colossus it is today after joining forces at its inception in 1992.
For the Premier League it will be a licence to print money and make their clubs even richer but will be a godsend for supporters who are being faced with forking out more money for extra subscriptions with more platforms showing football.
That is still in the future and won’t initially come to the aid of supporters who are currently having to invest in Sky Sports, BT Sport and Amazon Prime to watch every Premier League game.
There is talk that other networks including DAZN and Disney+ could enter the bidding for the next contract while Viaplay broadcast the recent internationals featuring Wales, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland.
It’s costing fans around £100 a month to watch all the football on TV while those attending live games are faced with more anti social kick off times – a double whammy for the paying public.
Kevin Miles, chief executive of the Football Supporters Association said: ““There’s no question that supporters are increasingly feeling the financial strain. We’re not untouched by the general cost of living crisis but the more platforms there are, the more subscriptions we have to find.
“For those fans who want to watch everyone of the club’s televised games the costs are really starting to mount.”
Former Aston Villa forward Gabby Agbonlahor thinks enough is enough on the increasing number of subscriptions.
He admitted he didn’t watch Scotland’s recent European Championship qualifying victory against Spain on Viaplay. “I didn’t watch the game because there’s that many different channels now that football is on.
“You’ve got Viaplay £15, BT Sport £30, Sky Sports £24, Amazon £9. You’ve got Premier Sports, I can’t keep up!”
If the Premier League are able to go it alone they will also be placed on the spot over kick off times because it’s the broadcasters who currently carry the can over the scheduling.
