Top six want bigger share of spoils
Overseas broadcasting fees have become increasingly important in the Premier League’s revenue stream. An estimated £3bn of the £8.3bn broadcasting pot now comes from this source.
Article Taxonomy: Television and Broadcasting
Articles concerning television and broadcasting issues in football.
Title earns Chelsea £151m
Champions Chelsea have earned nearly £151m in television fees and prize money. Chelsea received almost £58m more than Leicester City did for winning the title last season.
Chelsea’s prize money for coming top was £38.8m, while ‘facility fees’ for being shown live on television in 28 of their 38 league games brought in another £32.8m. An equal share of TV deals, domestically and overseas, plus commercial income contributed about £79.2m.
Is piracy problem hitting viewing figures?
The number of viewers watching Premier League matches on Sky during the first half of the season is 12 per cent down on the previous year. Sky’s latest six month results showed that profits had been affected by a £314m increase it had to pay to the Premier League in that period.
Catch 22 for MLS
MLS captured only seven per cent of the US television market for soccer from August to December. A third of viewers watched the Mexican Liga, reflecting the importance of the Hispanic audience. 22 per cent watched the Engish Premier League.
Germany and China sign football pact
It is a diplomatic first, but Germany and China have signed a football pact. At a meeting in Berlin last week representatives of the German and Chinese governments, as well as of sporting organisations in both countries, signed a series of football-related agreements.
Television rights market starts to cool
The football television rights market may have reached its peak, at least domestically, although overseas deals could continue to contribute increasing revenues, making up a growing share of the total.
An underlying driver is that fans are starting to watch football in a different way. The market is starting to fragment with less commitment to watching the whole game. Younger fans in particular are watching on their mobiles in shorter bursts.
Big new China TV deal
Foreign broadcasting deals have become an increasingly important part of the Premier League’s revenue stream. Their biggest deal yet is a new one for China that will earn £564m over three years from 2019-20.
Challenges for televised football
In the first ten weeks of this season viewing figures for live Premier League games on Sky fell by 12 per cent year on year. Sky blames the decline in viewing on fewer big name clashes at the start of the season. However, it says that it registered a 3.5 million peak audience during Liverpool’s clash with Manchester United on October 17th, its highest rated Premier League game for three years.
Sky moves ahead in ratings war
The coverage of the Manchester derby, the first blockbuster game of the season, by Sky Sports attracted more than 2 million viewers at peak. This was twice the audience BT Sport achieved for Liverpool’s game with Leicester.
BT had made a much stronger start to the season, winning the Saturday ratings head-to-head for three weeks on the trot. Overall, ratings at BT Sport have increased by 8 per cent, while it has been suggested that Sky’s ratings have drifted slightly.
Power grab by top European clubs
Uefa will guarantee more places for clubs from Europe’s top football leagues in the Champions League, in a power shift towards the wealthiest teams. The move, which follows threats from rich clubs to create a breakaway competition, will ensure more places for teams from Europe’s largest television markets, but to the detriment of smaller nations.