DCMS allows Premier League to roll over £5.7bn UK broadcast rights deal

November 11 – The UK government has said the Premier League will be allowed to renew its current domestic broadcast agreements, without having to undertake a tender process for the rights.

However it comes at a price. The dispensation has been granted by the UK’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) on the condition that the Premier League increases funding throughout the football pyramid from £1.5 – 1.6 billion over the next three years.

The £100 million increase in pyramid funding will be distributed to the National League, Women’s professional football, community facilities, EFL clubs and wider grassroots projects.

Broadcast contracts between the Premier League held with Sky Sports and BT Sport were interrupted last year when the government took the decision to allow, rescheduled matches to be broadcast on terrestrial channel.

By allowing the contracts to roll over the DCMS is securing funding to grassroots while the Premier League keeps its UK broadcast deals worth £5.8 billion.

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said: “The Premier League acknowledges that the commitments given in this MOU do not amount to a waiver of the Government’s discretion to change the regulatory environment applicable to football.”

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