EFL ignores breakaway threat to sign 595million broadcast agreement with Sky Sports
The EFL has agreed a five-year domestic broadcasting deal with Sky Sports worth a whopping 595million starting from the 2019/20 season.It was unanimously approved by the league’s board, however, it is different to the agreement made with the broadcaster last September.
1The deal is likely to be unpopular with the likes of Leeds UnitedThat was for 600million over five seasons and Sky Sports has also now obtained eight extra midweek games a season. The new deal is worth 119million a season, 31million more per year than the current deal.Despite that, several Championship clubs, including Aston Villa, Derby and Leeds, strongly criticised the original proposal and are unlikely to be happy with the final agreement.But, with Sky imposing a Monday deadline to agree the deal, the EFL board has decided this is the best option on the table for the 72 clubs, particularly as it protects each club’s right to develop their own streaming service for fans here and abroad.In a statement, the EFL’s interim chair Debbie Jevans said: “Having fully considered the matter, its implications and any associated risks, the EFL board is satisfied that the right deal for the EFL and its clubs has been reached.“Concluding these negotiations has indeed been challenging, as is the case when managing a diverse group of stakeholders, and the board took on board the comments and frustrations voiced by a number of clubs and has committed to reviewing the way the league engages with its clubs to ensure that we move forward in a collaborative way in the future.”That is reference to recent suggestions that up to 15 Championship clubs wanted to reject the offer, believing it tied the league in too long and was not worth enough money. Several of these clubs are also understood to have threatened to break away from the EFL if the deal was signed.Under the deal, Sky will be able to broadcast 138 EFL games a season, with a minimum of 20 of those being League One and League Two matches.Sixteen of those games will be Championship matches on Tuesdays or Wednesdays, and Sky will also get eight additional midweek games as co-exclusives with the clubs’ streaming services. They will also be available to Sky’s residential customers via its red button service. Crucially, however, none of these midweek games will available to commercial customers via the red button, although the eight additional games will be televised on a second Sky channel, giving customers in pubs and clubs two options.Keeping EFL games off the red button in pubs was a key consideration for many clubs, as they believe that would damage attendances.The overall package includes all 15 EFL play-off matches, 15 Carabao Cup games and the Checkatrade Trophy’s semi-finals and final.EFL chief executive Shaun Harvey said: “The deal we have entered into with Sky, after fully testing the current market through our external advisors, allows our clubs the benefit of financial security which was an absolute priority for us throughout this process.“It is a partnership that, as well as having the necessary financial benefits, provides the EFL with the platform to maximise reach and exposure for its competitions, alongside providing further opportunities for clubs to monetise some of those games not broadcast on television through a (direct to consumer) offering.”While Harvey will be delighted the board backed a plan he has championed from the beginning, it remains to be seen how his biggest critics will respond, and the three Championship clubs represented on the board – Bristol City, Brentford and Reading – are not understood to be among the potential rebels.Clubs concerned that Harvey was selling the rights too cheaply are unlikely to be pleased by the right Sky will have in the deal’s final two years to increase their broadcast offering to 158 games a season.
Christian Pulisic reveals he can't wait to play alongside N'Golo Kante Rudiger and those guys.'It feels amazing I'm super excited. I can't wait.'The USA international explained that it
Eden Hazard Not on List of Chelsea Stars Christian Pulisic
How the Championship table would look based on every club's last eight away games Which clubs are at their best on the road in the second tier? By Anton Stanley
How the Premier League table would look based on every club's
Mauricio Pochettino: Tottenham boss is creating an 'exit door
Virgil van Dijk has called for patience from Liverpool fans, admitting he could sense nervousness from the crowd following their 1-1 draw with Leicester on Wednesday. Jurgen Klopp's side failed to beat a side outside of the top six for the first time this season after the Foxes battled back to claim a point at Anfield in snowy conditions.
Liverpool must not allow the fear of failure to grip them in
Moura scored a stoppage-time winner to complete a hat-trick and seal a sensational 3-2 comeback win for Tottenham Hotspur to take them past Ajax Amsterdam on the away goals rule into the Champions
Teenage Trabzonspor midfielder Abdulkadir Omur, who has been dubbed 'the Turkish Messi', has welcomed talk of interest from Liverpool.. At just 19 years of age, the highly-rated playmaker is
Abdulkadir Omur to Liverpool: Who is the 'Turkish Messi' and
The Sun UK - 07 February 2018 код для вставки )
Watford came back from a goal down to win on Saturday afternoon, as they beat Crystal Palace 2-1 at Selhurst Park. The Eagles took the lead before half time, as a messy goal line scramble saw the ball bundled in off a clueless Craig Cathcart to give the home side the lead.
Watford v Crystal Palace in the FA Cup quarter-finals - Live
Virgil van Dijk: Liverpool defender to present €100,000
Rio Ferdinand has urged Manchester United fans to be patient with Ole Gunner Solskjaer, saying rebuilding a title-winning team 'is not an overnight job'. The former centre-back is adamant Solskjaer is the right man to usher the club into a new era and believes he can make a similar impact as Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool.…
'Ole Gunnar Solskjaer can be Man United's Jurgen Klopp, if he
Eden Hazard 'will be raging' with Chelsea for place on bench in Europa League semi-final, says Dean Saunders. Eden Hazard 'will be raging' with Chelsea for
Eden Hazard 'will be raging' with Chelsea for place on bench
Welcome back to the Premier League, Ranieri. Fulham have sacked manager Slavisa Jokanovic and replaced him with Claudio Ranieri, who guided Leicester to the Premier League title in 2016.
Claudio Ranieri: Fulham sack Slavisa Jokanovic and appoint
0 Comments