The SPFL are locked in talks with Sky TV over a new and improved £150m broadcasting deal.
Record Sport understands discussions have kicked off with the broadcasters with the rights up for grabs from 2025 onwards. Sky have offered an initial package worth £30m per season – an increase of £5m per year on the current deal – and are poised to bump up the number of games screened from 48 to 60.
Talks are at an early stage and as yet no other broadcasters have come to the table. But league chiefs are hoping to thrash out further terms, with clubs keen to renegotiate secondary rights. Under the current deal, Sky own the rights to ALL SPFL matches and clubs cannot sell non-televised games to rival broadcasters or flog to their own fans on pay-per-view platforms in the UK and Ireland. There are also concerns from Scottish clubs over restrictions placed on clashes shown on the box – with sides at present not allowed to show more than six home matches a season, with the Old Firm insistent on just four home matches being shown.
Celtic and Rangers have refused to budge on the matter for several years in a bid to encourage punters to buy tickets. But it’s understood the stance may have softened and clubs are keen to showcase the key matches in Glasgow and the Scottish game that are being currently kept from the screens.
Negotiations are expected to continue but at present there are no other broadcasters making a move, with BT Sport understood to be against making a return to the Scottish game, despite positive feedback from fans under the previous deal before Sky took sole rights in 2020.
Meanwhile the Scottish Women’s Premier League announced an improved three-year deal with BBC Alba and BBC Scotland to screen live matches and highlights. The new deal will run until the summer of 2025 and will include 26 live games each season and a 45-minute highlights show every week. BBC Scotland also has the option of streaming one live match each week online.
SWPL managing director Fiona McIntyre said: “We’re really pleased to have agreed this new, record deal, which is great news for the League and supporters across the country.
“The ongoing partnership with both BBC ALBA and BBC Scotland will be vital in growing the game in this country in the coming years, and their long-term support of the women’s game is truly appreciated. This significant new agreement represents the growth and ambition we have for the League. It was a really exciting opening weekend of the SWPL season, and we know that viewers will be in for a treat for the rest of the season.”
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