Future Media Rights Negotiations in English Football: The Case for Full Broadcast Coverage

As both the Premier League and the English Football League (EFL) prepare for future domestic media rights negotiations, there is a growing consensus that selling the rights to every match may be the most viable strategy to safeguard and boost revenues, according to The Guardian.

Although the Premier League and EFL are currently bound by broadcasting agreements that extend until the conclusion of the 2028–29 season, preparations for the next cycle are already underway. The EFL plans to take its broadcasting rights back to market at the beginning of 2027, while the Premier League is expected to conduct its auction later that same year. Both leagues seek clarity on the inclusion of 3PM matches before these tenders commence. Without an early consensus, broadcasters would be bidding without a full understanding of the available games, a situation neither league wishes to encounter again in a landscape where the inflation of broadcasting rights has stagnated.

This season has already seen unprecedented domestic exposure, with the Premier League showcasing a record 270 live matches and the EFL broadcasting 1,059 games, primarily through Sky Sports. Nonetheless, league executives have concluded that partial coverage is no longer adequate. The EFL particularly believes that it could tap into significant additional revenue by making all 1,891 of its fixtures available for broadcast, contingent upon the removal of the blackout in collaboration with the Premier League and the Football Association (FA).

The Premier League’s desire for change is also influenced by broader economic trends. While its current domestic deal with Sky Sports and TNT Sports commands an impressive £6.7 billion, this figure obscures a more subdued reality. To secure this deal, the league extended its contract by an additional year and increased the number of games sold from 215 to 270 per season. In real terms, the value of this agreement has decreased by approximately 23 percent compared to the previous 2022-25 cycle.

Many American owners of Premier League clubs have long questioned the rationale behind the blackout, referencing the U.S. model where every game across major sports is accessible to viewers. They argue that restricting access in a digital age hampers growth, especially among younger audiences accustomed to on-demand viewing. As revenue growth has plateaued, calls for broadcasting every match have intensified, transitioning from a luxury to a necessity.

The prohibition is rooted in Article 48 of UEFA’s statutes, which allows for live football broadcasts to be restricted for up to two and a half hours on Saturday or Sunday afternoons. In England, this applies when at least half of the Premier League and Championship fixtures are scheduled for 3PM on a Saturday. Interestingly, this rule was briefly circumvented at the start of the current season, when the EFL aired all its opening weekend fixtures, as the Premier League season had not yet commenced, demonstrating the flexibility inherently present within the system.

The FA, which must formally request UEFA to enforce the blackout, is not anticipated to oppose its removal if both leagues advocate for it. Last season, discussions were held regarding exempting the Women’s Super League from the blackout altogether, although these talks stalled after legal concerns were raised by the Premier League and EFL. Nonetheless, the principle has already been tested, which undermines arguments claiming that the blackout is immutable.

Any decision to lift the blackout would not occur in isolation. Article 48 is similarly enforced in Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales, and leagues there could pursue compensation if English football were to gain a sudden commercial advantage.

There are also apprehensions about unintended consequences. Broadcasting 3PM Premier League matches nationwide could negatively affect attendances, particularly in the lower leagues, undermining the very football pyramid that the blackout was designed to protect. This concern has historically fueled resistance to change, with supporters’ groups warning that easier access to televised football might deter fans from attending matches in person.